Jumper: Cent's Story
by TJ Jordan
Summary: Cent and her parents, David and Millie, have always had the ability to jump. Now living in Los Angeles, Cent meets a boy named John Bale and she knows that there is more to him than meets the eye. But when she tries to get close to John, she falls in love with him and what she discovers just might blow her mind. Are Cent and her family the only Jumpers out there?
1. The Rice Family

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

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**Okay, this is my fourth fanfiction story. This one will follow more closely to the original book series. It has no ties with the movie or the other novel "Jumper: Griffin's Story" at all. This fandorm will be based off the newly released "Impulse" and will take the point of view of Cent, Millie and David's daughter.**

**Set nearly seventeen years after "Reflex", the point of view will will change to Cent instead. We will get to see David and Millie on several occasions. This story will be based off of a theory I had about the first two novels. What if the Rice family aren't the only Jumpers in our world?**

**Anyway, I don't own anything. It all belongs to Steven Gould.**

**Hope you enjoy the first chapter.**

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Summary:

Cent, daughter of David and Millie Rice, has been living in various places around the globe. Being chased by people who will do anything to use their powers. Cent and her parents are Jumpers, people who have the ability to teleport to any other place in the world. Now living in Los Angeles, Cent is about to start her first day of school and is not in a great mood about it. But when she meets a boy named John Bale, she realizes that there is more to him than meets the eye. Wanting to know more about this mysterious teenager, she will discover something that will blow her mind.

_What if Cent and her family aren't the only Jumpers out there?_

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**Chapter One:**

**The Rice Family**

The alarm clock sounded off at seven in the morning.

Cent groaned and slammed her fist on the off button, despite that she was aiming for the snooze.

"Not now!" she whispered, angerly.

After a few more minutes of lying in bed, Cent moved her feet to the ground, throwing the covers off of her. She stood up and moved towards the bathroom, walking like a zombie. When she turned on the light and looked into the mirror, she realized that her hair was all messed up.

_This is how a bad hair day feels like! _she said to herself.

Stripping off her _Lord of the Rings _pajamas, she took a very hot shower and stayed under the hot water as it came down hard against her skin. After that, she dried off, brushed her teeth and got to work on her hair and face.

Once done, she went into her bedroom and got dressed, throwing on her favorite green bra and underwear, a blue t-shirt, and a black pair of tight jeans, which made her look sexy.

Cent smiled as she checked herself out. She didn't want to look like a total loser on her first day of school.

Cent was the daughter of David and Millie Rice. Ever since she was young, her parents kept moving around. When she was born, they lived in a small area up in Canada, then they to a small city in Alaska, when she turned three. At age eight, they moved to Seattle. Cent loved Seattle, more than she actually thought she would have. So did her parents. But ever since three months ago, they moved once again. This time... to Los Angeles.

Of course, the whole moving thing was not for no reason. This one reason was something that Cent didn't know about until she reached the age eight.

While living in Alaska, Cent was walking towards home when she founded herself in her bedroom all of a sudden. She didn't know why or how she got there. When she told her mom about it, she called her father and they had a family meeting that very night. Her parents explained that they had the ability to jump, or teleport, to any place on Earth. They also explained that there were_ people_ out there, looking for them, to use their powers for their own needs. Cent figured it out on her own of why they moved around so much. But that wasn't the part that shocked her. It was the part that she had the ability to jump too.

Ever since finding out about her ability, Cent's parents didn't take any chances and decided that it would be better to move to Seattle. At first, they were a little scared about the change, but they soon came to like Seattle more than any other place on Earth. Millie even considered it better than her life back in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Cent loved her life in Seattle, she didn't want it to end at all. She had friends and even possibly a boyfriend too. In Seattle, Cent had a crush on a boy named Jack. There was supposed to be a dance party coming up at the school and Jack actually asked her to be his _date _for it. Cent was excited for it. Her mother took her shopping and they bought nearly every dress that they could find. It was going to be an exciting moment.

But, on the day of the dance party, _they _came for them. Cent didn't know if it was the government or if it was the same people who kidnapped her father years before, but they came. Because of that, her family decided to move once again. It was such a disappointment for Cent. She didn't get to say goodbye to her friends or to Jack. It broke her heart that she didn't get to go to the dance with him. At least she did send him a text message that she couldn't make it. She didn't bother to say anything about her leaving Seattle. It would have been too painful.

A part of Cent knew that her friends would soon move on. And so would Jack. Maybe he might worry about her for a few weeks or months, but sooner or later, he would move on too. That was part of life. The wheels keep spinning, with or without you.

"Honey!" Millie's voice came from her doorway. "Breakfast is ready!"

Millie smiled and grabbed her backpack. She walked out of her room and down the stairs. She appeared in the kitchen and walked to her seat at the table.

The one thing that made all of this running around so easy, was the fact that her family were finacially secured. Her father, David, once robbed a bank in New York and stole nearly three and a half million dollars, which Cent found to wickedly awesome. Her parents took care of how they spent and were able to make sure that the money would serve them and Cent's benefit. It would last them two life times.

But that didn't stop Cent's parents from having jobs either. Millie now works as a therapist at a clinic in downtown, Los Angeles. David works as a business manager for some engeering company.

Cent sat at the table and began to read a copy of the brand-new installment to the _Alex Cross _series. She barely noticed as her mother sat a plate of pancakes and eggs in front of her.

"Hows the book?" Millie asked.

Cent smiled and closed the book, putting it back into her bag.

"Good," Cent pulled the plat closer to her. "That James Patterson sure does know how to pull people in. I love his books."

Millie turned away, smiling, and went back to cooking more pancakes.

"Where's dad?" Cent asked as she ate her food.

Millie laughed and said, "Still sleeping. Your father is one lazy man."

Cent laughed along with her and swallowed her food.

"Do I hear gossip in the kitchen?" came a voice from behind her.

Cent turned her head and saw her father, David, walking towards Millie. He moved his hands around her waist and pressed his face against her back, moving side to side with her.

"David!" protested a laughing Millie. "Stop! I'm trying to cooking here!"

"And I'm trying to get a kiss from the woman I love!" David said back as he yank Millie from the stove and spun her around.

Millie screamed, playfully.

David put her back on the ground and then spun her around, so she could face him.

"You little...!" Millie was cut off from the powerful kiss that David landed on her.

The spatchula fell for her hand and hit the floor.

Millie brought her hand up towards David's cheek and finally on his neck, pulling him more closer.

David picked up up, still kissing her, and moved towards the edge of the counter, setting Millie on it. They continued to kiss, even moving their hands among each other's clothes.

Cent was laughing the entire time and finally said, "Get a room! You two are soooooo loverbirds!"

Her parents ignored her and pulled apart, still holding each other.

"I love you," Millie said with a soft voice.

"I love you too," David responded with another kiss.

Cent smiled and looked away, continuing to finish her food.

Millie slid off the counter, wedged between it and David's body.

"Where are you going?" David teased as he stroked her hair.

Millie smiled and said, "To make sure that your food doesn't burn. I don't want you to miss the most important meal of the day. I need you to have all of your strength for... _tonight_."

David raised an eyebrow and said, "Wouldn't want to disappoint. But I find it hard to let you go."

Millie laughed and finally got herself unstuck. She picked up her spatchula and washed it off at the sink.

David sat down, right next to Cent and kissed her on the forehead.

Cent couldn't help but smile.

"How is the most beautiful daughter doing today?" he asked.

Cent loved that about her father. The way he always made someone feel important and loved. He always had a way with words. Millie once said that it was one of the many reasons she fell in love with him.

"Doing well," Cent kissed him on the cheek. "A little nervous about starting school. You know, in the middle of April, a month before summer break."

David's face dropped and said, "I'm sorry about the move over three months ago, Cent. I really am. But it was for your own protection and ours."

Cent looked at him and smiled.

"I know," she spoke truthfully. "At least we can start over here. Right?"

David nodded and placed the back side of his hand on her cheek.

"Always."

"At least some things never change," Millie spoke over her shoulder. "At least Cent knows how to eat fast and my dear old husband knows how to make a woman's day in the morning."

David and Cent laughed

After a few moments, David said, "How about we change things up a bit. Since we are living in a new place, I say we should at least be able to use our jumping for now. You know, Cent can jump to school and back. I can do the same at work and so can Millie. We will be safe about all of this and use simple rules."

Cent smiled. She loved the idea already.

"What kind of rules are we talking about?" Cent asked.

"We only jump when no one is looking or around. We jump to a place that no one will see us. We always make a time schedule of when we arrive at a certain place. Like for example, Cent can arrive two to five minutes before the bell rings for classes to start. A good way to avoid suspicion."

"But Davy," Millie protested as she turned around to face him. "What if it is too risky? What if we do cause attention to ourselves?"

"Come on, we need to be able to enjoy our abilities," David raised his arms. "I mean, what's the point in having our ability to jump if we can't use them. It isn't like we aren't using them to commit a crime against humanity or something."

"Like when you robbed that bank in New York?" Millie teased, raising an eyebrow.

David's cheeks got red.

"That was different and you two know it," he protested.

Cent and Millie were already laughing their heads off.

"Fine," Millie gave in. "I guess we could try it out. But if we get caught, I'm choosing where we go to live next."

David nodded and said, "Sure thing, babe."

Cent looked at the time and her eyes got big.

"Holy shit!" she got up from her seat, nearing causing it to fall to the ground, and grabbed her backpack from the floor.

"Cent Mary Rice!" Millie yelled in shock, her face turning red, but laughing at the same time. "Watch your mouth young lady!"

David was laughing too.

"Sorry, mom and dad, but I'm about to be late for school. I think I should jump to the ladies room. It's rarely used anymore."

"Alright, I guess I can forgive that little incident. After all, there is only one person who you would learn that word from," Mille raised an eyebrow at David.

David raised his hands in defense.

"Don't look at me!"

"See you guys later!" Cent jumped.

"Enjoy your first day!" Millie called out as she and her husband watched Cent disappear from sight.

Finally finishing the eggs, Millie brought the plate to David and said, "I hope you enjoy my cooking." She sat down right next to him.

David began to eat and said, "I always do. And I actually _enjoyed _you last night."

Millie raised an eyebrow and asked, playfully, "You did, did ya?"

David smiled and nodded.

Millie leaned in close to his ear and said, "Since we were talking about changing things up earlier, I was thinking of something new we could try."

David chuckled and asked, "What is that?"

Millie giggled and said, "I've noticed that we have never done... _it..._ in the kitchen before."

David's eyes widen.

"Screw breakfast!" he said quickly, with food still in his mouth, he pushed the plate to the floor. "I got to try this out!"

Millie giggled some more as David got up from his seat and picked her up. He carried her back to the counter and sat her down on it. They began to take off each other's clothes.

"I love you, David," Millie said in between their kissing.

David pulled back and said, "I love you too."

They went back to their lovemaking in the _kitchen_.

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Cent arrived inside the restroom. She exited and walked out of the doorway.

The hallways of the public school were filled with students. It was nearing class time as the clock got closer and closer to eight fifteen.

_Here we go_, Cent said to herself. _Lets see how life is going to turn out for me and the rest of the Rice Family._

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**You guys enjoying the story?**

**I'll try to post another story soon.**

**Please review! I want to hear your thoughts on how I did this story!**


	2. A Mysterious Boy

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

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**I hope that you guys liked the first chapter. I wanted to show how things were going for David and Millie. Now, we will fully concentrate on Cent and see where the story takes her.**

**We will meet John Bale in this chapter, but it will only be a brief appearance.**

**Enjoy chapter two.**

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**Chapter Two:**

**A Mysterious Boy**

Cent was not enjoying her time at the school so far. Already, her first three classes of the day were driving her crazy. At least math was not that hard as she once thought, some of it she already knew from her time in Seattle.

Cent was in her English class at the moment. Doing worksheets that the teacher had handed out.

The school bell rang. It was time for lunch.

_Thank God! _Cent shouted in her mind, feeling relieved.

She grabbed her stuff and headed out the door of the classroom.

Just as she was in the hallways, a hand grabbed her shoulder.

Cent turned to find a pretty girl, dressed in a white blouse and short-shorts, smiling at her.

"Hi," she said, all excited. "I noticed that you are new here. My name is Ashley."

Cent smiled back.

_Finally, a friend! _she said to herself.

They shook hands and began to walk together in the hallway, dodging on-coming students.

"Name's Cent Rice," she said. "Is it really that noticable about me?"

Ashley nodded and said, "In a school like this, yes, completely. Despite how big this school might be, people can make out the new from the old students. Hey, do you have lunch next?"

Cent nodded.

Ashley smiled and said, "Great! I love having lunch before the final class of the day! You are going to love the lunch system here!"

Cent couldn't respond in time as Ashley pulled on her arm and made way towards the cafeteria.

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Cent was actually starting to enjoy her day at school. She was enjoying Ashley, who was able to help her with the five lunch lines that were in front of her. Appearently, each line served different kinds of food. Ashley told her which one had the best food.

_I just might actually like it here,_ Cent smiled as she thought the words.

Ashley led her to a table, where there were two other girls waiting.

"Hey, Ashley," one waved at them.

"Hey, Emily," Ashley greeted back. "Hey, to you too, Rachel."

The girl, Rachel, waved her off and continued to eat her taco.

They both took their seats around the small, round table, with only one seat left.

"So, who is your new friend?" the girl known as Emily asked.

Ashley turned to me and smiled.

"Girls, meet Cent, Cent meet Rachel and Emily."

"Oh, goody, goody," Emily bounced up and down in here seat. "A new member to our little lunch group. Nice to meet you, Cent."

Cent smiled back at her and said, "Nice to meet you too."

Rachel finally acknowledged their presence and looked up. She smiled and stretched out her hand.

"Nice to meet you Cent."

They shook hands.

Ashley clapped her hands together and said, "Now that we have officially introduced each other. Lets get straight to _girl_ business."

They spent the whole hour of lunch discussing boys, classes, and of course, teachers.

"Oh my goodness, I can't stand Mrs. Nixon anymore!" Emily complained. "Like, today, she forced us to write a four page report on this guy, who didn't have much of anything to have one page done. It was torture!"

Cent and Ashley laughed.

"Sounds like a real teacher to me," Cent said.

"So, where do you come from?" Rachel asked.

Cent froze.

This part Cent hated the most. When people asked her where she came from. This part she had to lie about. A way of keeping her and her parents cover. At least her mom went over it with her. She had it memorized.

"From New York," Cent responded.

Everyone's eyes widened.

"New York?" Ashley said, all shocked. "You have differenly made quite a change to just move here."

Cent nodded, not wanting to talk about it.

"So, you got any boyfriends back home?" Emily asked.

Cent shook her head.

"No, I've never really dated before."

Ashley's eyes widened and her mouth dropped.

"Girl, what is the matter with you?" she studied her from top to bottom. "You have one stunning body and you haven't even gone on a date with some hot guy? I mean, every boy in town would be chasing after you."

Cent laughed.

"Hey, guys," Emily whispered and leaning forward in her chair. "Six o'clock. Behind me."

Cent, Ashley, and Rachel looked to where Emily was pointing.

Behind a couple of tables was a boy. _A mysterious boy._ He was sitting alone at one of the tables. He wore a Spider-Man t-shirt and a pair of jeans, including Nick shoes.

Cent frowned and asked, "Who is he? Some lonely guy or something?"

"No, he's new," Ashley responded, still looking at him. "He came to this school about three days ago. Nobody knows who he is. Apparently, he keeps to himself and never interacts with others. And even weirder, me and the girls tried to follow him after school yesterday. He always uses the back doors. Well, he tried to go down an alley that leads to a dead end. Me and the girls tried to see where he was going and when we looked down the alley..." She paused. "... he was just... gone."

Cent frowned and asked, "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"I mean, he was just _gone_," Ashley faced her.

"Yeah," Rachel said. "He was there at the corner and when he walked down the alley, he was gone. Like as if he disappeared or something."

"My theory is that he uses a trap door or something," Emily cuts in. "He must make his home there. The building right next to that alley is abandoned."

Ashley and Rachel roll their eyes.

"You watch too many movies," Rachel said to her.

"And read too many books," Ashley added.

"What?!" Emily raised her arms. "I'm a virgin. What do you expect me to do with my time?"

Ashley and Rachel laughed.

Cent didn't hear their conversation. She was to busy looking at the boy that they were talking about earlier. Something about him made Cent more curious. He seemed... _alert. _Like he was waiting for something to happen. He also had his hand close to his pocket, like as if he was waiting to pull something out at any given time.

Cent didn't know what she was doing, but she was studying the boy from head to toe. She took notice of his black, short hair. His white, but tan face. There was also cuts on his arms. Like... knife cuts. Then she noticed his eyes.

Everything slowed down. Time itself stood still. For some reason, she felt dazzled by his dark, _green _eyes. She couldn't stop looking at them.

_They're beautiful, _she told herself.

The boy looked up. For a moment, they stared at each other.

Cent turned away and stared down at her food. She smiled. She didn't know why, but she did. And for a moment, she thought she saw him smiling too, from the corner of her eyes.

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**Liking the story already? How did you like the moment between Cent and John? **

**Please review on it.**


	3. Disappear

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

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**Welcome back. I just can't stop writing this story. I love it!**

**Anyway, we finally get to see Cent and John meeting, face-to-face, for the first time. I'll try to make it as emotional as I can.**

**Please enjoy. This one is to all of you.**

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**Chapter Three:**

**Disappear**

Cent finally heard the bell ring in her fourth period class. It was finally the end of the day. A very long day as it seemed.

Her fourth class was actually pretty nice. It was an art class and so far, Cent was enjoying it. The teacher was really easy to get along with. The work was bearable and the drawings mad her feel at peace. Maybe this was her calling in life. To paint and draw.

Instead of rushing out of class, Cent took her time and gathered her things. When she appeared outside the class room, she noticed that the hallways were almost cleared out.

_Man, these kids move fast_, she said to herself.

She walked to her locker and began to put her stuff inside. Just as she was about to place her science book in, it fell from her hand and onto the ground.

_Nice one, Cent! _she yelled at herself.

She bent down and placed her hand on it.

Then... she felt another hand on the book too. In fact, both her's and the mysterous person's hand touched together.

Cent felt something rush through her body. It went down her spine and made goose bumps on her arms and legs. It felt like an electrical current.

She looked up and her eyes met the boy that she had seen at lunch. Her heart stopped for a split second. Her mind was spinning like crazy.

The boy stared back, his dark green eyes fixed upon hers. It seemed like he was frozen too.

For about a full minute, they stared at each other. Not moving.

Cent didn't know what was happening. She couldn't move her eyes away from his. Her muscles disobeyed her. Even her own mind was someplace else, without her.

Finally, she coughed and looked away. She picked up the book and placed it in her locker.

"Thank you," she said, without looking at him.

"Ah, your welcome," the boy responded.

Suddenly, Cent froze once again. His own voice had paralyzed her. It sounded like a song to her ears. It was gentle and soft. Like a pillow or something.

"Um..." Cent forgot what she was going to say. She turned to look at him, but he was gone.

Turning the other way, she saw him walking off, hands in his pockets.

"Wait," she said too quietly. She tried to say it a little bit louder, but her own voice betrayed her once again.

Still frozen from looking at him, Cent finally broke free. She grabbed her backpack and ran after him. She watched as he walked out the back doors of the school.

"Wait!" she said a little louder, but not loud enough for him to hear.

She busted through the doors and ran to the sidewalk. She turned and saw him walking down the alley that Ashley and her friends told her about. She ran after him like as if it was her life on the line.

_Why am I doing this? _she asked herself. _Barely even know him. _

She appeared at the entrance of the alley and stopped.

But the boy was already gone.

_Where did he go? _she asked herself. _He can't just disappear. Not into thin air._

She walked forward and looked around the alley. There were no doors or anything that could be used to escape. Only three walls stood in the way, with only one entrance to it.

Cent sighed and walked out of the alley. She rentered the school and headed down to the front office.

* * *

"Excuse me," Cent spoke to the woman at the desk.

The woman looked up and smiled.

"Yes? How can I help you?" she asked.

Cent swallowed.

_What are you doing? He was just a boy! _she argued with herself.

"I'm looking for a boy," she said, a little awkwardly.

The woman laughed and said, "Aren't we all. What does this boy look like?"

For some reason, Cent remembered a lot of things about him. It was like she memorized him in just one day.

"He's new here," Cent began. "He wore a Spider-Man t-shirt, blue jeans, he had black hair, tan skin, and some cuts on his arms too. In fact, I think he started three days ago."

The woman looked through her computer and said, "Yes, I have him. His name is John Bale. Started three days ago and is considered to be a really good student by all of his teachers. Has been making straight As so far. Is there something wrong that the school should know about?"

_Yeah, he disappears, _Cent wanted to say to her.

Cent bit down on her tongue and said, "No. I was just wondering. Thank you."

"Your welcome," the woman nodded and went back to work.

Cent exited the office and walked right out of the school building.

_John Bale, _she repeated the name inside her head as she walked down the steps of the school.

After walking a block, she turned down an alley and made sure that she wasn't followed. Once she knew it was safe, she jumped home.

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Cent landed in her bedroom. She sat her backpack on the ground and fell, face first, onto her bed.

"Honey, you home?" came the voice of her mother.

Millie opened up the door and came on in.

"So, how was your first day, sweetheart?" she asked.

Cent flipped over and sat up, bringing in her legs towards her.

"It was... okay."

Millie nodded and smiled.

"Meet any cute boys?" she teased.

"Uh?" Cent's face turned red.

She remembered her little encounter with John Bale in the hallway.

"Sure," she responded in time. "Saw a few of them."

Millie shook her head and said, "Alright, I'll leave you alone. Dinner will be done at six o'clock. I suspect you to be at the dinner table at that time." She walked out of the room and went down the hallway.

Cent heard her feet stomping down the stairs.

_John Bale, _that was the name that kept on reappearing inside her mind for the rest of the hour.

Finally getting a grip on herself, Cent grabbed her backpack and got right to her homework.

* * *

Cent sat at the dinner table with her parents, who just couldn't stop kissing the entire time.

But Cent didn't really care about her parents intimate moment together. She barely even ate her lasagna, just used her fork to play with it instead.

"Honey, you okay?" Millie asked. "You seem a little... side tracked."

Cent came to her senses and realized that her parents were staring at her.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Just thinking about school."

"How was it, by the way?" David asked.

Cent shrugged and said, "You know. The usual stuff. Doing work. Keeping up the grades."

David smiled and leaned over to kiss Millie on the lips.

Cent chuckled at the sight.

Cent always loved the attention that her father and mother paid each other. They were always kissing and always finding ways to do... _it_. They couldn't stand to be without each other for a single second. Even before she was born, Millie and David struggled to keep their relationship going. At one point, Millie broke up with him, which shocked Cent when her father told the story. It was all some huge misunderstanding, right before Millie had known about his ability to jump. But it was the months ahead that proved that they couldn't be okay without each other. That was the real moment when they realized they really were in love.

Cent always hoped that she would find a love like that. Someone that she could kiss and enjoy every single day. Someone she could share her secret with and not have to hide who she really was.

"Hey, can I head to bed early?" Cent asked.

Millie smiled and said, "Sure honey. You okay?"

"Yeah, just a little sleepy. I think it would be best if I hit the sack a little early. See you lovebirds in the morning."

"Good night."

"Good night."

Cent got up from her seat and walked up the steps of the nice apartment that they lived in. When she got to her room, Cent closed the door. Stripping off her shirt and jeans, Cent put her _Lord of the Rings _pajamas back on and crawled into bed. She pulled the covers over her and fell right to sleep.

* * *

Cent knew it was a dream, but it felt so real to her.

She was in her room, sleeping exactly where she was. It was almost like she was reimagining the real world in her dream.

But there she was, sleeping in her bed. Enjoying the warm of the sheets that were under and over her.

Suddenly, the door opened and a bright light appeared. Someone stepped through and walked towards her bed. The mysterious person bent down and touched her cheek.

Normally, someone would scream or try to run away in these types of dreams, but not Cent. For some reason, Cent felt safe with this person. She felt herself begging for this person. Her mind, her soul, her body, all lunged for this person. The person's very touch only made her desire for him rise higher.

Suddenly, the person's face was fully revealed.

_It was John Bale._

"Good night, Cent," he spoke and smiled.

Then he turned to leave. He walked back towards the door and prepared to walk back through it.

"Wait," Cent called out. But her words had no affect on him.

He stepped through the door and the door itself started to close. The light began to_ disappear_. Just like him.

"Wait!" she screamed.

The door shut and complete darkness took over.

* * *

Cent awoke from the dream. She could feel her cheeks wet and realized that she had been crying in her sleep.

Leaning up, Cent got out of bed and went into the bathroom. She splashed water in her face and looked into the mirror.

For a slit second, she thought she saw John behind her. When she turned with excitment in her heart, she saw that he wasn't there. Her heart dropped with disappointment and felt like it had broken into two.

_Oh, John! _she cried in her mind.

Shaking off the thought, Cent returned to bed.

Once again, she dreamt about John.

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**Alrightly, I hope you guys enjoyed this one too. I hope I hit the punch line for emotional feeling.**

**I can't wait to do chapter four!**

**Please review! **


	4. Not The Only Jumper

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

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**Cent will try to uncover more about the mysterious, John Bale. Meanwhile, strange men-in-black show up at the school, but their sights aren't on Cent, but on someone else entirely.**

**I can feel the excitment already! Enjoy the story!**

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**Chapter Four:**

**Not The Only Jumper**

Cent was up and ready before her alarm clock went off.

The weird thing about it was that she has never been like this before. She was filled with excitment. Couldn't wait to get to school. It was completely unlike her.

Some part of Cent knew what the excitment was all about. _She couldn't wait to see John Bale again._

Dreams of John came and went for Cent. Some were romantic and nice. Some were moments when he would leave her and no matter how loud she called out for him, he would never return.

_Why am I acting like this? _Cent asked herself as she grabbed her bag and ran out of her bedroom.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she almost ran into her father, who was carrying a cup of coffee.

"Whoa!" David teased her and laughed. "Where's the fire?" He paused and saw the excitment in her eyes. "And why do you look like five years old again? I haven't seen you this happy since I bought you your first bicycle."

Cent smiled and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Don't know," she responded. "Just have this energy to be on the move for some reason."

"I bet!" Millie appeared from the kitchen, with a wash cloth in her hand. "All of that sleep must have done you some good. Maybe you should try it more often."

Cent smiled and leaned forward, kissing her dad on the cheek. Then she ran up to her mom and hugged her.

"I think I should get a head start to school," Cent said, with excitment.

"But dear," Millie protested, still laughing. "It isn't even seven thirty yet. School can wait for another forty minutes. Besides, I made some biscuits and gray, along with some orange juice."

Cent looked at the time and realized that her mother was right. It was barely time for her to head school yet.

_What is happening to me? _Cent asked her herself. _I didn't even notice the time and I had gotten out of bed before my alarm clock. _

Cent shook her head and giggled.

"Sorry, I guess I'm in a ball of energy to get started today. Biscuits and gray sounds good. Nothing can beat your cooking style, mom."

Millie smiled and put her arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"At least _someone _congraduates me on my cooking," Millie stuck her tongue out at David.

David laughed and said, "Hey! I congraguate you all the time! Do I have to remind you of yesterday morning? When we nearly tore up the entire kitchen?"

Millie's face turned red.

Cent laughed and said, "Okay, guys, information I do not need to know. Your sex life does not need to include me into the picture."

Millie and David laughed.

"Sorry, darling," David walked with them into the kitchen. "I just couldn't resist the urge to say it with you in the room. Now, where are these biscuits that my beautiful, sexy wife made?"

Millie laughed and ran up to him, pressing her lips against his.

Cent giggled and sat down at the family table.

The morning for Cent and her family was perhaps the best morning they had together in years.

* * *

Hours passed and Cent couldn't get her mind off of John Bale. The moment that they had in the hallway yesterday past through her head a thousand times. She couldn't quite figure it out why she was so interested in a boy who only said three words to her.

Cent was already at lunch. She sat with her friends and was able to get her mind off of John for a while.

"Okay, have you heard about the school prom coming up?" Emily asked, all excited.

Rachel rolled her eyes and said, "Who hasn't heard about it? It's all _you _ever talk about."

Ashley and Cent laughed.

"Okay, who are you guys going with?" Emily looked at all of us.

"I'm hoping Robert will take me," Rachel said, smiling.

"You know me, I'll be going with James," Emily replied.

"And, I'll be going with my childhood sweetheart, Michael," Ashley stared off into space for the moment.

Cent, Rachel, and Emily laughed.

"Okay, who are you going with, Cent?" Ashley turned to her.

Cent's smile disappeared and stared at the rest of the girls, who were waiting for an answer.

"I... I... I don't have a date for the prom," Cent finally revealed.

"We can help you get one," Emily bounced up and down in her seat.

Rachel's eyes widened with excitment.

"Going shopping for hot dates is going to be fun," she said in a slow voice. "I say that we do it."

Cent laughed and said, "Don't worry about it. I don't think that I'll be going to the dance anyway."

"WHAT?!" Emily shouted.

A few heads turned there way.

"You have to go!" Rachel leaned forward. "It's the best time of the year! Only time to get some privacy without school officials!"

"Yeah," Ashley cuts in. "You have to go! You must!"

Cent shook her head and said, "No, I don't think so. Besides, I'm not in the mood of looking for a date anyway."

Then she looked over to the table aways from them and saw John Bale. For a split second, her heart stopped.

He was sitting by himself, eating his food and staring out the window. He still had his _alert _stare going on. Everything about him was just getting more mysterious by the second she stared at him.

Something inside Cent's heart begged for her to go to him. She suddenly felt bad for him. She felt bad because he was all alone. She also felt bad for the scars on his arms.

Cent barely noticed as Ashley waved her hand in front of her face.

"Earth to Cent," she whispered. "Earth needs saving her."

Then the girls turned to see what she was staring at.

Emily giggled and looked back at Cent, who still had her eyes on John.

"Someone must got _it _bad!" Rachel elbowed Cent on the shoulder.

Cent came back to her senses and shook her head.

"I was just... staring," she said too late.

Everyone raised their eyebrows and smiled.

"Just staring uh?" Ashley teased. "Then why was that stare more than a minute long?"

Cent's face turned red and smiled, weakly.

"Okay," she admitted. "Yesterday, me and him had a run-in after school."

Emily raised her eyebrow at her and said, "Define 'run-in'."

Cent laughed and continued, "I dropped my book and he was there to help pick it up for me. We stared into each other's eyes for a while. Then he just left."

"So much for the kiss and the happily ever after concept," Rachel joked.

Everyone laughed.

"It was nothing," Cent finally said, concluding the conversation.

"Okay...," Ashley winked at her and smiled.

Emily clapped her hands together and said, "Alright, since we are talking about prom. I need some help with the dresses. I say that we go shopping right away."

Cent blocked out the conersation as she stared at John.

She didn't know why, but she was studying his skin and his muscles. She watched he took every breath and she was moved by it. She could feel the herself lunging for him.

_Stop it! _she commanded herself. _He is just a boy! Nothing else! We just met in the hallway yesterday. He was only trying to help._

Suddenly, she watched as John flinched. He moved his hand near his pocket and carefully had the handle of a small knife at the tips of fingers. Normally, someone would scream at the sight of this or report it to the teachers. But Cent just stared and wondered what set him off.

Turning towards the window, she saw what he was staring at.

There were three men-in-black walking across the sidewalk of the school and entering the front doors.

_What are they doing here? _Cent asked herself.

When she turned to look back at John, he was gone.

Fear struck her heart and panic rose. She moved her head around and finally saw John walking out the doors of the cafeteria.

_Where is he going? _she wondered. _Maybe I should follow him._

But at the last minute, she decided against it and stayed with her fellow girlfriends.

* * *

The final school bell rang for the end of school and everyone was walking out of the door of the classroom.

Cent was in a hurry to get home and grabbed her stuff. She walked as fast as she could, putting her stuff in her locker and finally made way to the front doors of the school.

Suddenly, she heard talking inside the front office and stopped.

"Is Mr. Bale here today?" a strong and powerful voice asked.

Cent looked inside the open door and moved towards it to get a better close up. She saw the same three men-in-black from lunch earlier. The same ones who set off John.

The front desk woman shook her head and said, "He was for the first three quarters of the day, but he has checked himself out."

"And why was that?" the second men-in-black asked.

"He said he wasn't feeling well," the woman responded. "I made arrangements for him to go home. That is all, I'm afraid."

"Is there a home address for Mr. Bale?" the third man-in-black asked. "We need to talk to him about something. It is very urgent."

The woman looked through her computer and shook her head.

"Sorry, I don't have one."

"Thank you ma'm," the first man-in-black said, nodding. "You have been a great help today."

Without another word, the three men-in-black exited the office and made way towards the front doors.

Getting curious, Cent walked into the office.

"Excuse me," she said to the woman.

"Yes, the same girl from yesterday," the woman smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"Um, I was just curious, why were those men here?" Cent asked.

The woman looked towards the doors and smiled.

"They are part of the FBI," she explained. "They needed to see John Bale about something. They wouldn't say what, but it sounded urgent." She paused. "Funny, though, how you asked yesterday about him and now the FBI. He must be famous or something."

_You have no idea, _Cent thought.

"Well, thank you," Cent said and walked out of the office.

Once she was out of the school's front doors, she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

Turning to see what it was, she saw John Bale. He was sitting on a bench, watching the men-in-black getting into a black sedan and driving away. John was dressed in completely different clothes. He even wore a hat to conseal himself.

_Why is he here? _Cent asked herself. _Shouldn't he be sick?_

Then she watched as he got up from the bench and began to walk down the sidewalk.

Finally fed up about the whole secretacy thing going on, Cent followed him and watched as he turned into an alley.

"What is it with him and alleys?" she whispered under her breath.

Running after him, she finally turned towards the alley, but found that it was empty.

_Okay, where did he go? _she looked around. _He must have some way of disappearing._

Suddenly, Cent saw something up ahead. It was like almost invisible. But it could be seen. If she didn't know better, it looked like... visible air.

Moving forward, Cent got close and saw that it was in midair, floating.

Then... Cent knew what it was.

_A jump-scar! _she yelled inside her mind.

Her father explained to her one time that a jump-scar was a small force after a Jumper jumps to a location. It acts like a scar in the air, like the jump had left a portal open. Nothing could pass through it, unless you happened to be a Jumper.

_Why is there a jump-scar here? _she asked herself. _There was no way John could have done this._

Cent pressed her hand inside the scar and watched it disappear inside.

Suddenly, the scar came to life and pulled Cent right on through. She disappeared from the alley.

* * *

Cent came crashing down on the floor. She felt pain in her body as she landed on the ground. She groaned in pain for the next few seconds and finally forced herself to get up off the floor.

Cent finally came to realize that she was standing in a living room. There was a flatscreen TV right across from her, a couch, and a small glass table. She could tell that the room was actually part of a bigger building.

Then Cent realized that she was standing in John Bale's home. She had crossed a jump-scar to his own home.

"Uh, I wasn't expecting company," came a voice from behind her.

Cent spun around. She gasped as she stared into the eyes of John Bale, who was standing at the enterance of the living room she was in.

"Sorry," she said too weakly. "I didn't realized that I would actually get here like this."

John smiled and walked forward.

"Glad to know that I'm not the only Jumper in Los Angeles."

* * *

**Sorry, but I love cliff-hangers! They make things for exciting!**

**Please review! Do you like John Bale? Or how about those men-in-black guys?**


	5. Falling

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent and John meet, officially. Cent discovers a secret that will blow her mind. Things start to grow between Cent and John. Are they falling in love?**

**This is for you romantics out there! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Five:**

**Falling**

Cent froze where she stood. Goose bumps were rising on her arms and legs. Her heart began to race.

_Whoops! _she said to herself. _Wrong house!_

Then she looked into John's eyes and everything slowed down. Her heart and time became normal once again.

John smiled at her. It was full of happiness and love. Almost like he was just happy to see... _her_.

Cent returned his smile and looked away, rubbing the side of her neck.

"Sorry...," she said slowly and awkwardly. "I didn't mean to... to..."

"Follow my scar and into my apartment?" he laughed. "Don't be." He folded his arms together on his chest. "You have no idea how much I've been waiting to meet someone like you."

Cent's eyes widened.

_He knows about me? _Cent was shocked. _How can he possibly know about me? And how did that jump-scar get there? Unless-" _

Cent's eyes widened even bigger as she realized the truth. It made her own mouth drop.

"You're... you're..." she could barely speak now.

"A Jumper," John finished for her. "Yes, I am. Have been since I was ten years old."

Cent felt herself beginning to fall to the ground. She was in too much shock to know that her own legs gave out.

Suddenly, John jumped towards her and caught her. His hands were right under her back.

"Watch it there," he teased. "Don't want you to get brain damage. Lets sit down on the couch."

Cent nodded and felt John picking her up, in his arms. He jumped towards the couch and sat her down. He moved towards the lower end of the couch to give her some room.

John continued to smile.

"Man, I... I always figured that there was something special about you," he finally said. "I just can't believe that you're one of us. This is truely awesome."

Cent leaned her head against the couch and smiled. But she was still shocked at the revelation.

"There are more?" she asked. "More of... us?"

John nodded and looked away.

"Yeah," he said. "But there isn't like a ton of us out there. I bet like twenty people out of the six billion are Jumpers. I came across one before, but things didn't end so well for him. Before he died, he told me everything there was about Jumpers. About our history, where we came from, how long we have existed."

Cent shook her head and said, "I can't believe this. I mean... for so long, I've lived with this belief that I was the only one out there. Except for my mom and dad..."

"Your parents are Jumpers too?!" John shot his head towards her, smiling, shocked.

Cent nodded and smiled back.

"Yeah, they are," she couldn't help looking into his eyes.

"Wow!" John exclaimed and laughed. "A family of Jamers. Who knew?" He laughed again.

Cent chuckled. She couldn't help but laugh with him. Everything about him made her want him even more. She felt the desire inside her own heart. His laugh, his smile, his movements were all piling on her need to have him. She also couldn't help but look at his lips.

_Oh boy! _she said to herself, imagining what it would be like to kiss them.

Shaking the thought off, she said, "Tell me more! I want to know everything! About Jumpers! About you! Just start at the beginning!" She brought her legs up and moved forward, wanting to be as close as possible to him.

John chuckled and faced her again.

"Well, perhaps we should start at the beginning. Which would be me, of course."

Cent laughed and said, "Of course."

John brought his legs in too and began his story.

"The first time I jumped was when I was ten years old. It was pretty scary when I found out. I nearly drowned in a lake, up in Tulsa, Oklahoma."

Cent put her hands over her mouth and gasped.

"My family and I were on vacation. It was summer and we went to our usual spot. It wasn't far from where we lived. But, anyway, I went swimming without my parents knowledge. I wanted to prove how good of a swimmer I was. I wanted to do it without floaties or supervision. But I got too far and ended up in a really deep zone. I went under and nearly drowned." He paused. "Suddenly, I found myself back on shore. I was confused and there was water all over the sand I had landed on. My parents had seen the whole thing. It freaked my mother out a little bit, but she got over it."

"My parents discovered that what I did was some kind of teleportation ability. I was excited at first, but then I worried about what people would think of me if they found out. So, my parents helped train me. Helped me learn to control my ability. I soon became so good at it that I started jumping myself to school. I even helped my parents save on gas money too. Wherever they wanted to go, I just jumped us there. That was plain and simple."

Cent nodded and smiled. She was enjoying the story. It reminded her of the times with her mother and father.

"The next two years, I did all of this stuff with my parents. I loved having this ability. I wanted to use it in a way that made myself responsible. So, I made rules in order to keep myself in check. I only jumped to places that were far away. I always make sure that people don't see me when I jump. You know, the usual." He paused, tears were forming a little, but he whiped them away. "But I had been seen, while jumping, one day. I saved a small boy from being hit by a car. I thought that I made a clean get away, but I ended up finding a video on the internet of me. Someone had seen me and posted it on facebook, youtube, twitter. Everyone at school was thinking that it was some kind of joke. But I got worried. I realized that I needed to be extra careful from then on." He paused again.

"About a month later, my family and I had gotten a visit from some of those _Men-In-Black _guys. I didn't know what they wanted or why they were there. I went to go see what was happening and watched from a far. The men forced their way in, despite my parents refusal to let them come into our house. Then..." He paused for a moment, breathing in slowly but sadly. "... then the men shot my parents. Right in front of my eyes. All they did was take out their guns and shot them. No hesitation. No regret. I was able to escape. I jumped to the lake again. It was the only place that I could think of. I didn't leave the lake for an entire day. I cried and cried. Begging for my parents again."

Cent allowed the tears to fall down her cheeks. Some of it landed on her blonde hair.

"I'm so sorry," she tearfully said, reaching out and taking his hand. Something electrified her hand as she touched him, it traveled up her arm and down her spine, making her shiver.

John smiled and continued.

"I managed to survive over the next few years. I used money from my father's secret stash on this piece of property he owned. I still have enough now. It should last me a couple more years. After a while, I decided to leave Tulsa and I traveled the world. Going to different places. New York, Washington, Miami, Las Vegas, and even here, to Los Angeles. I ran into my fellow Jumper friend in Las Vegas. He found me jumping into a casino. We had a nice conversation together. Won a few rounds at the Black Jack tables. That was when I learned about the existence of Jumpers. He told me everything."

"What did he tell you?" Cent asked, getting all excited.

"He told me that Jumpers have existed since before the Roman Empire. It's unknown how far we go back. Appearantly, many of us have planned major roles in humanity's history. Like the building of the pyramids in Eygpt. The Great Wall of China. The wars. I even found out about '_Syndicate'_..."

"Syndicate?" Cent asked. "What is Syndicate?"

John chuckled and said, "Syndicate is a government organization that was created to hunt down gifted people. They bring them back to their headquarters for testing. Jumpers have been on the top of the list. I heard rumors that there were people who could do telekinesis, but I don't truely buy it." He paused and took a deep breath. "Syndicate is the organization that killed my parents. They also killed my friend later on. I witnessed the entire thing. They didn't realize he was a Jumper, they wanted to capture him for testing. I guess that was why they were there at my house years before. They wanted me because of the internet video."

Cent nodded, rubbing his hand as she held onto it.

"Were the men at the school part of Syndicate?" she asked, looking up at him, her face wet from the crying.

John nodded.

"Yes, they were. That was why I left in the first place. I knew it was them. I always carried a knife around in case of emergences." He paused and smiled at Cent. "I've noticed your stares. I even noticed that you saw my knife the other day."

Cent blushed and smiled.

"I'm I really that noticable?" she giggled.

"Yes," he teased. "When you have as beautiful like that. It is too hard not to notice."

Cent laughed and smiled again.

"At least now we can sit next to each other at school," she said, feeling happy about the thought of hanging out with him during luch.

John's smiled disappeared.

"Yeah, uh, I won't be returning to the school, Cent," he said.

Cent's eyes widened.

"What?! Why?!"

John stroked her hair.

Cent enjoyed it and didn't dare stop him.

"Because..." he began to say. "... Syndicate will be all over the place now. Every minute and every second will be watched by them."

Cent's smile drop and lowered her head. Her heart began to ack.

John noticed this and became worried.

"Whats the matter?" he used his fingers to gently lift her head up.

Cent looked at him and smiled, weakly.

"I just..." she sighed. "I just wanted to get to know you more. I was hoping we could spend more time together at school. Sit together during lunch, meet up after school is over. You know..." her voice breaks off.

John half smiled and said, "Hey, if it makes you feel better, we can still meet up after school. I _want _to see you again."

Cent's eyes widened. Her heart started to race.

"You..." she almost started to cry. "... you want to see me again?"

John grinned and said, "Yes, absolutely! In fact, I've been dying to ask you out when I first saw you."

Cent smiled and blushed.

"You did? Really?"

John nodded.

Cent giggled and said, "How about we meet up after school, everyday. We can go somewhere. I can always make up something to my parents."

John frowned and protested, "No, you don't have to lie to your parents. I want us to have an honest friendsh-"

"Relationship," she corrected him. "And I don't want my parents to know about this... yet. Not until we know for sure where this is going."

John tried to speak again, but decided against it.

Suddenly, they moved forward. Slowly. They turned their heads to the side and came within inches of each other. Their lips barely meeting.

Cent could feel his breath on her skin and the warmth from his lips. She wanted him bad.

_Dear god, I'm completely falling right now!_ her mind roared.

Cent made the move first.

She moved her arms around John's neck and pulled him forward.

Their lips met and they kissed softly. Then the kiss became hard and their arms started to move all around each other.

_Yep, I'm falling alright, _that was her last thought as she kissed him again.

John's arms went around her waist as he pulled her towards him.

Their bodies connected.

An electrifying current ran through both of their bodies. Begging for more.

After a little while, they pulled apart and kept their arms around each other.

"Wow!" John exclaimed. "That was..." He could finish his sentence.

Cent's eyes were still closed as she leaned her forehead against his.

"Just the way you thought it would be," she finished for him and opened her eyes.

John shook his head and laughed.

"No, it was better than I thought it would be," he said.

Without thinking, Cent grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him towards her.

They kissed for a long while. Not wanting to let the other go of each other.

Suddenly, Cent's eyes widened.

_What time is it?_ she asked herself.

Cent flew off of the couch and said, "I need to go. My mother and father are going to kill me if I don't get home now."

John laughed and said, "It's only four thirty. I don't think they will flip if your not home after four."

Cent sighed and said, "Right. But I should go. I don't want to keep them waiting." She looked into his eyes and felt herself _falling _again. "Let's do what we planned to do for tomorrow. Meet me at the back enterance of the school. I'll find you."

John smiled and nodded.

"Alright," he said. "I'll be there."

Cent raised an eyebrow and responded, "You better. I didn't kiss you because I wanted to be stood up."

John laughed.

Cent giggled as she grabbed her backpack.

"Bye," she waved and jumped.

John smiled and said, silently, "Bye."

* * *

Cent jumped to her room and threw her backpack on her bed.

"Honey, is that you?!" her mother's voice came from down stairs.

Cent ran to the doorway and yelled, "Yeah, sorry about not being home after school. I was out with a... friend. We were, um, looking at dresses."

Millie laughed and said, "Okay! Get down here, your food is getting cold."

Cent smiled and ran down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Her parents were sitting right next to each other at the dinner table. They were also kissing too.

Cent smiled at the sight and remembered the moment when she kissed John.

_What did it mean? Am I falling for this guy? Does he even have the same feelings for me? Do I have feelings for him also?_

"Millie, dear?" Millie's voice snapped her out of the thought. "You okay?"

David chuckled and pulled his wife closer to him.

"I think our dear daughter was stunned at our..._kissing..."_ he kissed Millie again, who started to hit him on the shoulder but gave in to his kiss at the moment.

Cent laughed and sat down at the dinner table.

"Can you guys stop it?!" she giggled. "I'm trying to eat here! Get a room!"

David looked at her and smiled, his idiotic smile anyway.

"Great idea," he said and got up from his seat.

Millie's eyes widened.

"Don't you dare, David Rice!" she screamed.

David pulled her chair out from the table and picked her up, her stomach on his shoulder.

"DAVID!" Milled yelled even louder. "Put me down! Right now!"

David laughed like a crazy person and disappeared up the stairs, with Millie still laughing and yelling.

Cent couldn't help but laugh at them. She sure did love seeing her parents like this. Always showing their love for each other.

_And I finally got a date tomorrow!_ Cent said to herself and smiled.

* * *

**Alright! Who's loving this story?!**

**Hey, I had an idea. I could have two people, who review on this story, make special appearances. I need two volunteers. Just post a review on the story and say if you want to be in this story. I will use your name, even if it is not so much of a name, inside this story and put you in it somehow.**

**I got that idea from a friend of mine. I'm "barrowing" her idea for this. Her name is, HunterofArtemis32, but I like to call her "The Huntress". Check her out. She makes good stories.**

**Anyway, please review! I need more!**


	6. More Than Just A Kiss

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent goes on her first date with John. Are these two falling more in love than they think they are?**

**Please read and review when you are done.**

* * *

**Chapter Six:**

**More Than Just A Kiss**

Cent sat at the table the next morning. Eating her bowl of Cheereos as fast as she could. She even downed two cups of orange juice in under three minutes.

Millie laughed as she sat down with her husband, David, holding hands with him and smooching each other.

"What on Earth has gotten into you this morning?" Millie laughed. "I never expected school to have you this interested."

Cent realized that she was making a scene and decided to slow down on the eating.

"Sorry," she apologized. "Just in an exciting mood."

_Yeah, for John! _she suddenly thought.

Millie raised an eyebrow and looked at David, who was too busy reading the morning newspaper. She elbowed him in the ribs and nodded towards Cent.

David smiled and put the newspaper down.

"So, Cent," he began with a calm voice. "What is _really_ going on?"

Cent looked up at him and then turned towards her mother. She raised an eyebrow at her and said, "Using dad to get me talk? You do realize that it only works on sons right?"

They all laughed.

"We just want to know, honey," Millie smiled even bigger. She leaned over towards David and kissed him, moving her arms around his neck.

Cent giggled and said, "Seriously, you guys need to take that somewhere else. Like a room."

Millie and David parted, but still held each other.

"We can't," David still looked into Millie's eyes. "I fell in love with the most sexiest woman on the planet. I cannot stop showing my love for her. I want to be able to show her how much I really do love her. Even in front of our own daughter."

Millie had tears of joy in her eyes.

"Oh, Davy!" she cried and pressed her head against his chest. "You are so romantic! Where did you ever learned to be one?"

"Not from my mom and dad, I'll tell you that one," David teased.

Everyone laughed.

Cent knew about David's parents. Maybe a little more than she should. David's dad was an alcoholic and an abusive father towards his wife and son. In fact, he sort of still is, despite the therapy that David paid for him. David's mother, Mary, was a lovable woman. Very nice and beautiful. But she was always on a run down with bad luck. She ran away from her husband and her own son when she couldn't take living their life anymore. David later found her, many years later. But, Mary died before they could officially make up for lost time. Sad story.

Millie was right though. David was a romantic for sure. He must have learned to be one when he was dating Millie. It seemed that their relationship was what drove him to be a much better husband than anyone thought he would be.

Looking at the time, Cent got up from the table, bringing her dish to the sink.

"Got to go," she said quickly and grabbed her backpack from the floor. "Don't want to be late for school."

Millie frowned and looked at the clock.

"But school doesn't start for another twenty-," she said.

Cent jumped before she could hear the rest of the sentence.

Millie raised an eyebrow as she looked at the jump-scar thay her daughter made.

"... minutes...," she finally finished.

David half-grinned and said, "I wonder what is up with her."

Millie shrugged and said, "Don't know. Maybe school is finally getting to her or something." She paused and looked at her husband. She smiled and patted his lap. "Hey, you want to jump to one of our vacation spots in the Caribbean?" She raised both of her eyebrows, seductively. "I bought this brand-new lingerie from Victoria Secret."

David smiled and raised an eyebrow. He moved his arms around her and said, "Then what are we doing around here then?"

Millie giggled as David jumped them to their room.

Millie grabbed her Victoria Secret bag.

"David Rice!" Millie teased, winking at him. "Get ready for me to rock your world!"

David smiled and said, "Oh, boy, please do!"

Taking each other in their arms, they jumped to the Caribbean.

* * *

Cent spent the entire day waiting for the school day to end. She even found herself dreading that John wasn't in school anymore. As it turned out, she overheard from the front office that John Bale had "_switched_" schools. The men-in-black, known as Syndicate, came back earlier to find him. They had a search warrent for the school and his locker. But when they found out that he had already left, they didn't even bother to search for him. Like as if they figured to find nothing or even him.

At lunch, Cent spent so much time looking at the empty table where John sat that she barely even talked to her friends.

"Cent?" Ashley waved her hand in front of her.

Cent shook her head and looked over towards Ashley.

"You've been staring at those empty tables for a while," Emily said. "You looking for... _John Bale!"_

Everyone, even Cent, laughed.

"You like him, don't you," stated Rachel.

Cent was shocked. She barely spoke and was at a loss of words.

"What... yeah... no... maybe... I don't know," she dropped her head on the table. "Yes, sure, I do like him. Maybe more than I thought I do."

Ashley cheered and said, "I knew it! I knew it! I knew there was a reason you paid a attention to him so much!"

"Where is he, anyway?" Emily asked.

Rachel leaned forward and said, "I've heard that the FBI took him away."

Emily's and Ashley's eyes widened.

"Really?"

"What for?"

Rachel looked around and said, "I hear that it has to do with something about testifying in some important case. But I go with the other rumor, that he is under witness protection. I think his parents testified against someone powerful and now they are moving to a new secure location. It happens all the time."

Cent tuned out the conversation, knowing that both of the rumors were lies. John was not under witness protection and those men-in-black sure weren't FBI either.

She turned back to the empty table and didn't take her eyes off of it.

_Oh, John! _she said to herself. _Why do we have to be apart like this?_

* * *

When the final bell rang, Cent was the first up and out the front door of the classroom. She rushed to her locker and put her stuff away.

Rushing outside the backdoors of the school, she ran to the sidewalk and looked around, hoping to get a good sight on John.

Finally, she heard something.

"Over here!"

Cent looked across the sidewalk and saw John, with his head sticking out of the small alley that he usually does his jumps. She ran forward and came around the corner, standing in front of John.

Without warning, Cent reached forward and pulled John to her, by the shirt. She hugged him hard and buried her face into his chest.

"Whoa!" he seemed surprised by her behavior. "I got to say, it isn't everyday that I get this kind of attention from a girl."

They parted and backed away from each other.

"Sorry," Cent said slowly. "I'm just happy to see you. That's all."

John laughed and said, "Well, before we finally go on our _date_, I think we should stop at my place first. I need to change into a new pair of clothes. I just got done with battling a few Syndicate agents."

Cent's heart raced and she felt panic rising inside her. She then noticed the almost torn up t-shirt and jeans on him, along with some cuts and bruises.

"You... you fight them?" she barely asked, showing her concern.

John smiled and said, "Yeah, most of the time. I mean, I don't go looking for trouble. I sometimes bump into them once in a while. I don't kill them or anything, just wound them up a bit."

"But... but... what if you get hurt?" she hugged him again and tightened her grip, not daring to let him go. "What if you get captured? Or worse?"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" John grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Nothing is going to happen to me. It will take more than just a couple of bad guys to take me down."

"That isn't funny," Cent said but failed to put her anger into the words.

"It's okay," John assured her. Then he kissed her.

Cent was shocked at first but then gave in. She kissed him back and moved her arms around his neck, pulling him forward.

"Lets get out of here," John said and jumped.

* * *

They arrived at John's home, right in the living room.

Cent still had her arms around his waist.

After a few seconds, John laughed and said, "Oh, you can let go now."

Cent opened her eyes and her face became red. She let go and said, "Sorry!."

John reached out and took her hand.

"Don't be sorry," he said. "I didn't mind."

Cent was shocked at his words.

"You don't?" she asked.

John shook his head and smiled.

"I was just letting you know that the jumping was over," he laughed and kissed her hand.

Cent blushed.

"I'll be right back," he let go of her hand and disappeared down the hallway.

Cent walked around the living room and saw a picture on the small, glass table. She picked it up and saw John and her parents. Cent smiled as she looked at the much younger, more cute John. He had to be five or six in this picture.

"I remember that moment," John's voice came from behind her. He was now in a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt.

Cent jumped and quickly sat the picture right back down.

"Sorry! Sorry!" she said quickly.

John laughed and said, "I don't mind. I ain't angry. It was nice watching you smile at that picture."

Cent stared into his eyes and couldn't control her month from dropping.

_Was this guy for real? _she asked herself.

"You changed fast!" she acknowledged.

John shrugged and said, "Comes with the terrority of being on the run. _Always be fast_."

John reached forward and picked up the picture. He held it so Cent could see it too.

"I remember that moment," he said. "Me and my parents went to Disney World. Fun time." Tears formed in his eyes.

Cent noticed the tears but said nothing. She liked how he smiled and cried at the same time.

John suddenly realized that she was noticing and sat the picture back down.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "Must be weird to see a boy cry like that."

Cent grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her.

"I love it when you cry," she blurted out. "Men should cry more often. It isn't good to store all of that emotion inside you. It makes you hard and soulless inside. At least thats what my mother thinks."

John laughed and said, "Your mother is a pretty smart woman."

Cent couldn't control herself. She rushed forward. Hands clapped each side of John's face and yanked him towards her. She kissed him hard and tightened her grip on him.

John seemed surprised by the sudden attack, but quickly followed. He brought both of his hands on her hips and kissed her back, pulling her more towards him.

Cent didn't really know what was going on inside her head at the moment. She didn't how much she liked this boy. She didn't know if this was real or not.

_What if I'm in love with him? _she wondered. _What if he's in love with me?_

They pulled apart, but kept each other in their arms.

John smiled and said, "We should get going." He kissed her once more. One quick kiss. "I want to have you home by five."

"Six!" Cent argued. "I want at least two hours with you."

John rolled his eyes and agreed, "Alright, fine. Where do you want to go?"

Cent's eyes widened.

"Your letting me choose?" she asked in disbelief.

John nodded and said, "Sure. I gentlemen always lets a lady choose where to go on a date."

Cent smiled and leaned her forehead against his.

"How about..." she hummed a bit. "... Paris."

John raised an eyebrow and said, "The city of love, here we come!"

With that, they jumped away.

* * *

They spent the most amazing two hours of their lives in Paris.

Despite that it was dark and really late, they managed to spend one awesome time together. They went to McDonald's, which was the only twenty-four resturant in the city that they would love to eat at the moment. They visited the some of the museums, by jumping inside. And even went on top of the Effiel Tower.

Cent knew that her parents would kill her if they found out about this. They were to stick in one place unless someone accompany's the other. They were to never jump outside any city alone. But she figured that this could be an exception. She did have John with her after all. So it wasn't like she was alone.

They stood at the very top level of the Effiel Tower, getting a great view of the city.

Cent felt like she was freezing with the cold weather that was happening in the city of Paris.

John noticed her shivering and said, "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she asked, all curious.

"To grab a jacket for you, from my place," he responded and jumped.

Cent smiled and went back to admiring the view of the city.

A few seconds later, John reappeared, but Cent didn't notice. She was into her own imagination at the moment. John slipped the jacket on her shoulders. Cent was startled at first but then came to realize who it was. John rested his hands on both of her shoulders, keeping the jacket from falling down.

"Thank you," Cent said. "You know... you aren't like most boys these days."

"Really?" John teased from behind her. "How so?"

Cent smiled and placed one hand on his own.

"I see how other boys treat other girls," she explained. "They use them. Trick them. Sleep with them. Then leave and never call."

John smiled and said, playfully, "This is the first date, remember? How do you know I won't call tomorrow? I mean, after all, I can go anywhere."

Cent finally turned around to face him and put her hand against his cheek.

"I know you won't hurt me," she said straight to his face. "I saw the kindness in your eyes the first day I met you. Even in the hallways, I saw it. You helped me for one simple thing. Something that other people wouldn't even think about doing." She paused. "You have suffered, but it was from that suffering that made you a better man. I can tell that you are looking for peace. Not revenge. Not hatred. You make your family proud by living your life like this."

John smiled again and said, "I think we should head back now. Your parents will most likely be freaking out, right about now. I did promise to have you home right about six."

Cent laughed and said, "You see! You're an honest man. You are responsible. That is how I know you are different."

Suddenly, Cent grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him forward. They kissed in the perhaps the most romantic place on Earth. _Paris_. Right on the Effiel Tower.

But this kiss was different.

Both Cent and John felt it. It rushed through their bodies and down their spines. Their hearts were jumping up and down. Goose bumps appeared on their legs and arms. It was like an electrical current was rushing through them. Butterflies formed in their very stomaches.

When they parted, it felt like almost all of their energy was spent on that very kiss.

"Wow!" John exclaimed.

"Wow!" Cent replied back.

Still holding onto each other, they jumped.

* * *

They arrived back in the living room of John's house.

Cent and John didn't let go of each other. Not daring to loosen a single grip that they had.

"That was..." Cent was at a lost of words. "... was..."

"Amazing?" John asked.

Cent nodded and rested her head on John's chest.

"Can we do this again tomorrow?" she asked.

"Sure," John replied. "But I think we need to pick better times to meet. I don't think your parents are going to be happy with you coming home at six in the afternoon."

Cent knew he was right and nodded.

"How about..." she thought about it. "How about we meet up at nighttime?"

John smiled and said, "That sounds fun. I say that we could meet up right here, say between eleven and midnight. So that we know fo sure that your parents are asleep. Then we can go to where ever we want to go."

Cent loved the idea. She pulled away from John and let go of him.

"I would really like that. Never get much sleep anyway."

John laughed.

"Get out of here," he teased, stroking her hair. "I don't want you getting grounded or anything."

Cent laughed, took off his coat and threw it on top of the couch.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," he replied and watched as she jumped.

John felt sad to see her go, but it was later replaced with happiness that he would be able to see her again.

_Until tomorrow, _he said to himself. _Until tomorrow._

* * *

Cent arrived in her bedroom and went down the stairs, not bothering to put down her packback.

"Well, well, well," Millie teased as she watched her daughter enter the kitchen. "Look who it is! Cent Mary Rice!"

David chuckled at the table as he moved his eyes between his wife and his daughter.

Millie had just finished doing the dishes. She was wiping her hands with a wash cloth, leaning against the edge of the counter.

"May I ask where you were, naughty girl?" her mother teased. "You missed one nice dinner.

Cent laughed and responded, "I was out again. I went to McDonalds with a... _friend_."

At least she was telling part of the truth. It wasn't like she was making up a story.

Millie smiled and looked towards her husband, who stared back, she raised an eyebrow.

"Does this _friend _have a name?" Millie asked. turning her attention back towards her daughter.

Cent's smile disappeared.

"Sure," she said. "His name is..." She didn't know what to tell them. But she knew she couldn't lie to them. Not to her own parents. "... _John..."_

Millie clapped her hands together and yelled, "I knew it! I knew it had to be a boy! Tell me everything! Does he have blond hair? Or green eyes? Is he tall? Big? Thin? Or maybe _hot_?"

"MOTHER!" Cent yelled in embrashment and giggled.

Millie and David laughed too.

"He's just a friend," she said, which made her regret saying it.

"Okay," her mother smiled and winked. "He's _just_ a friend. Just making sure."

David decided to let the moment go and he got up from his seat. He walked over towards his wife and kissed her.

Cent rolled her eyes and said, "I'm heading back to my room. Homework."

Her mother and father ignored her and continued to kiss.

Cent smiled, as she climbed the stairs, and started to hear moaning from below.

_They sure do know how to love each other, _Cent acknowledged.

Once closing the door, she landed on the bed and got straight to her homework, which only took an hour to finish.

* * *

Cent couldn't get herself to sleep that night. Everytime she closed her eyes, she always found herself thinking of John.

Then she remembered that moment on the Effiel Tower. When they kissed. But it wasn't the fact that they kissed in Paris that came to mind. It was the fact that the kiss felt very different from the other times she kissed him.

_This was no ordinary kiss, _she realized. _It was more than just a kiss. That was something different. Something that she never felt before, but definitely seen._

She remembered the moments when she would see her parents kissing. The way they wanted each other. The way they always expressed their love for each other.

Cent may not have known and most likely still doesn't, but that kiss on the Effiel Tower, was _more than just a kiss_. That was the kiss of... _love._

* * *

**How did you guys like this chapter? Was it romantic? Did it seem to hit the spot for Cent and John? By the way, how are you guys liking John?**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you guys review. I want to hear your opinions.**


	7. Second Date

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent starts to see John during late hours, in order to avoid her parents. John and Cent finally express some of their feelings toward each other. **

**Get ready for chapter seven!**

* * *

**Chapter Seven:**

**Second Date**

Excitment rose inside Cent as she waited on her bed, in her Lord of the Rings pajamas. Her eyes were completely focused on the clock. Watching time go by.

Her parents usually had the habit of going to bed around eleven in the evening. But knowing how in love they were, Cent wouldn't be surprised if they stayed up till five in morning.

The clock went from **9:00 **to **11:00 **in slow motion.

Cent felt like every minute was an hour. She couldn't get John out of her mind. Let alone the other night. The... _kiss_... that they both shared in Paris. The way how John held her when they were in his living room.

_Now would be a good time! _she finally gave in to her inpatience and carefully, but excitedly, jumped off the bed. She rushed into the bathroom and changed clothes.

Emerging out of the bathroom, she was now out of her pajamas and into a pair of blue tight jeans and a purple blouse.

Double checking how quiet the house was, she jumped.

* * *

John was doing targeting practice inside his "_shooting room_". He built the room to be sound-proofed, both in and out.

He perfectly aimed forward, holding the handgun in a professional way. He fired a few rounds and made a couple headshots on the dummies.

_I think that is enough for tonight, _he said to himself and put the gun down on the small table in front of him.

Walking towards the door, he turned off the light, and exited the shooting room. He closed the door on his way out.

The thing about John's house was that it is actually underground. It lies beneath a large, abandoned powerplant in Los Angeles. John took care of the liberity to fill in the enterances with cement, so that his hideout was safely "_secured_". The underground house was huge. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large kitchen, a living room, and the shooting room too. This was the one place that John calles home. He loves it here.

Suddenly, he heard a noise from the living room.

"John?" came a sweet voice from across the hallway.

John's heart jumped when he heard his name.

_Cent! _his heart lunged for her.

Without thinking, he jumped to the living room.

* * *

Cent started to worry. Her heart raced. Her breathing hardened.

She stood in the middle of the living room of John's house. Or at least, she thought it was a house.

"John?" she called out for the second time as she did before.

Some part of Cent worried that he may have been hurt or worse. Just the next ten seconds that followed made her own face turn white.

_Oh God! _her mind was spinning.

"Hello, beautiful," came John's voice from behind her.

Cent spun around and ran into his embrace. She threw her arms around his waist and squeezed hard.

"Ow!" John chuckled.

Cent pulled back and said, "Sorry."

"Where's the fire?" he teased.

Then he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Hey," he whispered and used his thumb to wipe away the tears from her cheek. "What's the matter? You can tell me."

Cent smiled and touched John's hand, holding it.

"I thought... you... were gone," she said, breathing in and out. "When you didn't respond to me, I just freaked out. Don't do that to me!"

Cent hugged him again and pressed the side of her face into his shirt.

John hugged her back and began to stroke her back.

"Don't worry," he said as calm and gentle as he could. "Nothing will happen to me. Not when I'm with you."

His very words brought warmth and comfort to Cent's heart and mind. She smiled and looked up at him.

Closing her eyes, she movied her lips forward and pressed them against John's.

He kissed back and moved his hand on the back of her neck, bringing her closer towards him.

Cent moved her hands all over John, wanting more of him.

Pulling apart, but still in each other's embrace, they looked into the other's eyes and smiled.

"So," John kissed her forehead, "where does the young _princess_ want to go tonight?"

Cent giggled and thought about it, "How about... hm... someplace warm." She tightened her grip on him. "I feel like walking the beach."

John raised his eyebrows and said, "I have the perfect spot. Hold on tight and don't let go."

"I'll never let go."

John jumped.

* * *

Nearly two hours were spent on the sandy beach of the Bahamas. It was late and dark out. The sound of waves were peaceful and the wind was calm. The moon was full and shining bright above the sky.

John and Cent did nothing but walk and sit on the beach, enjoying the moment that they were having together.

Cent didn't care what time it was. She was determined to make this count. And besides, it was Saturday the next day. No school.

"Thank you," Cent held on to John's hand as they walked, bare foot.

"No need to thank me," John responded and smiled. "I just hope that we can find our shoes again. I forgot how long we have been walking."

Cent leaned her side against his and laughed.

"Don't worry," she teased. "I'm in no hurry or anything. I want us to spend as much time together as possible tonight."

"I like the sound of that, but I think it would be best if I got you home by two a.m. Don't want you to be discovered gone by your parents."

"Three o'clock!" Cent protested. "The last thing I need is sleep."

John laughed and said, "Alright, _Miss Troublemaker_."

Cent's jaw dropped with shock.

"How dare you call me that?!" she pushed him away, laughing.

John laughed back and ran towards her, shoving her, playfully.

Cent laughed again and ran forward, she rammed into John, hearing him groan, as they fall to the sand.

Cent was now on top of him.

They both laughed at their fall and stare into each other's eyes. They calmed down and smile again.

Cent felt something again. It was the same thing that she felt in the hallways of the school and on the top of the Effiel Tower. Whatever it was, it rushed through her body. She felt it giving her warmth.

Cent moved her right hand into John's small hair. She felt John hands moving across her sides and stopping on her hips. His very touch made her skin shiver and want more of him.

Leaning her head down, Cent kissed John again.

For the remainder of their time, they stayed on the sand. Holding each other. Kissing. Touching. And just staring into each other's eyes.

Finally, John was the first to get up. He reached out his hand towards Cent and smiled.

"I think it is time that we hit State-side again," he said.

Cent didn't want to leave just yet. She wanted to hold John on the beach. To kiss him on the beach. And stay with him, forever, on the beach.

Cent took his hand and she felt his strength pulling her up. It amazed her how strong he could be, despite how gentle and kind he was.

"Alright," she forced the words out. "But, at least let me come with you to your place again." She smiled.

John couldn't help himself but allow her smile to make the decision for him.

"Sure, I'd love that" he winked. "Lets go find our shoes first."

Cent took ahold of his hand once more and they walked back to where they came from.

* * *

After an hour of searching, they finally found their shoes again and jumped back to John's place again.

Cent was dreading the moment as they appeared in the living. This was where he would kiss her good-night and she would return to her _empty _bedroom.

Instead of letting John go, she held on tighter. Scared that he may disappear or force her to leave.

John laughed and said, "My jumping isn't that scary, is it? The whole thing is over. You can let go."

Cent began to cry against his chest.

John heard the sobs and got worried.

"Cent?" he asked in a calm and cute voice. "You okay?"

Cent looked up at him, holding on to his shirt.

"I don't want to leave," she said tearfully. "I've been dreading this moment when I would have to leave you tonight. I hate that we are separated by distance, espically when we have the ability to break that. Please!" The tears came harder out harder now. "Please, don't make me leave tonight. I don't care about anything else at the moment. I just want to be with you." She buried her face into his chest again.

John's heart acked. He wanted her badly too. It took almost all of his own strength to make sure that he didn't say anything stupid, but hearing the same thing from her, changed it all. He felt the urge to do say what he has feeling. It has become to hard now to hold it all back. Her words and her feelings are drawing him to say what he feels.

"I..." he began, "... I... don't want you to go either."

Cent's eyes widened and she looked at him again.

"What?" she was confused.

"I don't want you to go," John repeated, whispering. "I've fought the urge to ask you to stay longer, but I can't no more. What you just said, is actually how I feel too."

Cent's heart jumped. Her mind was spinning once more.

"You... want me... to stay?" she asked, her mouth hanging open.

John nodded and he kissed her.

Cent didn't see it coming.

She kissed back and held him tighter again.

They fell on to the couch, holding each other in their arms, comforting each other. Laying side by side.

John stroked her back.

Cent stroked his cheek and his hair.

They didn't say a word. Only the silence spoke for itself.

Finally, about an hour later, they fell alseep, in each other's arms.

Cent smiled in her sleep. Allowing the comfort of peace and security to flow right in.

_She was at peace._

* * *

**Sorry for the wait. I've been a little busy and taking a break.**

**Hope you guys liked it! Please review!**


	8. First Morning Together

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent and John spend the morning together, completely blocking out the world and their worries. But what about Cent's "worried" parents?**

**Say hello to chapter eight!**

* * *

**Chapter Eight:**

**First Morning Together**

Cent awoke from the most beautiful dream that she was having of John. Realizing that she was on the couch, she noticed John's face, just a couple of inches from hers. She smiled and moved her head forward, touching his forehead with hers.

John was smiling as he slept.

Both Cent's and John's arms were wrapped around each other. Their bodies pressed against one another. And their clothes were still on, which was a shock to Cent.

_At least nothing ''unexpected'' happened last night, _she tried think positive. _But then again..._

Cent watched as John moved his face, slowly, against the couch. He seemed comfortable and at peace. She smiled as she took in everything about him at the moment. He looked so cute when he slept. His own muscles seemed to be relaxing. He even looked hot in his last night clothes too, but that was just her.

Slowly and gently, John opened his eyes and blinked. He saw her and smiled back. Then, he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

Cent felt herself melting on the inside and the outside. Her skin felt hot and she closed her eyes as she kissed him back. Moving her hands on his cheeks for support.

Pulling away, John leaned her forehead against hers and whispered, "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

Cent giggled and said, "Very well, actually. I had a dream about you."

John raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of dream?" he playfully asked.

"We were on a beach," Cent began her story, moving her arms around his waist and pulling him against her again. "I got a little... _preview_... of you... in your swimming trunks." She giggled.

John smiled, in a seductive way.

"What were you wearing?" he teased. "I'd like to go into more detail about you. What swimming suit were _you_ wearing?"

Cent moved her one hand to his head and started playing with his tiny black hair.

"Wouldn't you like to know!" she playfully giggled again. "Sorry, pal. But this is about you, not me." She continued. "We were in the water together. I couldn't help but notice how wet your body was. Your chest. Your arms. Your leges. I _carefully _studied you over as we swam..."

"What happens next?" he asked, despite that he had a pretty good idea.

Cent smiled even bigger and said, "I woke up. Curse mornings! I really wish that we can continue our dreams without the interuption of mornings."

John chuckled and responded, "Don't give mornings a hard time. They can be fun. You just need to know how to spend them."

"Like how?" she challenged him.

John kissed her, quickly, which made Cent want more from him.

"I'll show ya," he leaned up and hopped over the shoulder of the couch. He came around the corner of the couch and moved his arms right under Cent, picking her up.

Cent laughed as she felt the wind against her as she was lifted up. She was amazed, once again, by his strength.

"Where are we going?" she giggled.

John held her in his arms, her body against his chest.

"To the kitchen," he respond and began to walk out of the living room. "I'm going to make you one awesome breakfast."

* * *

They spent almost an entire hour in the kitchen together. John began to make pancakes, scrambled eggs, and orange juice. He and Cent talked as he cooked. Cent sat on the edge of the counter, admiring his handy food-making skills.

"So, tell me, where did you learn to cook?" she asked.

John smiled and flipped the pancake in midair, catching it with the pan as it came down.

"My mother taught me, back when I was really young," he responded, not looking at her. "My mom always wanted to be a chief, but then she met my father, got married, and had me later on. She gave up her dream for me. But she never forgot her gift. She loved to cook. So, one day, I asked her to teach me. It excited her that I wanted to do what she does. We made breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. No family meal was done without me and my mother's cooking." He stopped and stared off into space, remembering his favorite moments with his family. He snapped out of it and shook his head. "A really long time ago. A different time then."

Cent looked to the ground and smiled.

"Have you... um..." she couldn't get the words out. "Have you ever thought about going after Syndicare? Like, getting revenge against the people who killed you parents?"

John put the cancake on a plate and looked right at her. He thought about it and said, "Yes. Yes, I have thought about." He puased. "I even came close to going after them one time. I wanted to chase down, the people who were there that night. The ones who shot my mother and father. But I managed to resist that desire of revenge and let it go. I moved on from them."

"Why?" she asked.

John smiled and looked towards the ground.

"I didn't take my vengeance because I didn't want to change who I am. I didn't want to become something I wasn't. My mother once asked me to never change. To keep my innocence for as long as I could. To never kill out of revenge. She said that she couldn't take the idea of me becoming something else, something dark. So... I choose to stay the way I am. To be a honest, good person. Like for example, I only use my gift when it doesn't hurt others. I use my gift, on several occasions, to help others."

Cent smiled and said, "Aw, you help others with your ability?"

John shrugged and said, "I don't go looking for trouble or anything, I just help when I come around those who need it. Just the way I am."

"And I _love _who you are," Cent responded without thinking. "I'm glad that you still have that innocent boy inside of you. It makes you look... _cute."_

_Cute? Really Cent?! _she felt awkward. _Going to need more than that to get his attention._

John laughed and said, "Why, thank you! I've never had someone tell me that before." He turned off the stove and sat the spatula down. "Ready for an awesome breakfast?"

Cent's eyes widened as she landed her feet on the floor.

"I'm starving," she said and walked towards the table.

John grabbed both plates and both of the glasses of orange juice. He sat them right next to each other on the table and pulled out a seat for Cent.

Cent raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"Why, thank you, _John Bale_," she took her seat and felt John pushing her closer to the edge of the table. "You are such a gentleman. And a strong one too."

John blushed and took his seat as well.

"Lets eat then," he said, grabbing his fork.

Cent chuckled and poured the syrup around her pancakes. She took a bite and enjoyed everything about it. She closed her eyes and smiled. Then, she swallowed the food.

"My God!" she acknowledged. "This is really good!"

John blushed again and took a bite of his own.

"I should have you cook our date meals for now on!" she teased.

John laughed and responded, "I would love to. In fact, I should do Italian for our next date."

"Now, that would be great," she poked him with her fork.

"Ow!" he yelled, playfully. "Why, you little-!" He used his fork to poke at her back.

"No fair!" she giggled, enjoying the game that they were playin.

They played with their forks a little while longer.

* * *

About an hour later, they were back in John's living room. They sat together on his couch, lying back on the soft sofa.

"Thanks for a wonderful time," she held on to his hand. "I really love spending time with you. And thanks for letting me spend the night."

John blushed and smiled back.

"No need to thank me," he said. "For the record, I wanted you to spend the night too. I was just afraid of the kind of message it would send. But I'm happy that you did."

"You are so honest... and wonderful," she looked into his eyes, deep. "Are you for real?"

John chuckled and said, "Last time I checked... yeah."

Cent laughed and responded, "No, silly! I mean, the way you behave. How nice you are. How you care about me. How you are such a gentleman. I mean, it feels all to good to be true. I can't help but wonder if this is all in my head."

"I think I can help you with that."

Cent raised an eyebrow and asked, "How?"

"Like this."

John came forward. One hand on the back of her head and the other on her back. His lips met hers and pressed hard against them.

Cent didn't even see it coming, but she went along with it. She kissed back. Her arms went around John's waist and pulled him closer.

Soon, Cent fell back against the couch. John was on top of her. Their arms traveled across each of their bodies. They kissed for a long period of time.

Finally, John pulled back and stared into Cent's eyes.

Cent looked into his eyes and saw _love _inside them. Love for her. And she had the same thing inside her eyes too.

They both wanted to say it, but neither knew how.

Suddenly, Cent's eyes widened with fear and worry.

_My parents! _her mind was going crazy.

John saw the worry in her eyes and moved off of her.

"Whats wrong? Did I go to far?" he asked.

Cent shook her head and said, "No, it isn't you. I'm glad that we did that, but this isn't about that." She paused to catch her breath. She leaned up and asked, "What time is?"

John looked at his wrist-watch and said, "About eleven in the morning."

"Oh, no!" she flew off of the couch and turned towards John, who was also off the couch too. "My parents! They're probably going crazy about me! I need to get back to them!" She was about to jump when John's hand landed on her shoulder.

"Wait!" he said. "I think I have an idea that could work."

Cent looked at him and smiled.

"What kind of an idea?" she asked.

John half-grinned and said, "What if... I walk you to your front door. Make it look like you were out on a date with me. It wouldn't be a lie or a secret. Considering that we _are _dating."

"In the morning?" she raised an eyebrow. "You expect that to sail with my parents?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "We did just have breakfast."

Cent thought about and smiled back at him.

"Okay," she agreed. "It should keep me out of trouble, I hope. It would also grant us some more time together."

John wrapped his arms around Cent and kissed her.

"Away we go," John jumped.

* * *

A lot of things traveled through Cent's mind as she walked across the sidewalk, to her house in the small neighborhood of Los Angeles. John was right beside her, holding her hand in public.

"My parents are going to kill me," Cent allowed her side to land against John's. "At least I have you. Thank you for walking me through this. I just hope that my parents don't freak out."

John smiled and said, "Your welcome and I think your parents will make an exception. From how you describe them, I _know_ they will."

Cent chuckled and said, "You are so positive. Why is that?"

John shrugged and said, "I like to think on the brighter side of things."

Cent couldn't take it anymore and stopped, pulling on John's hand. Using her other hand, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her.

Their lips met and they didn't bother to be gentle this time.

Somebody passed them, staring, and said, "Get a room!"

_Maybe we should, _Cent joked.

After the _moment _that they had together, they continued on and found themselves on the steps of Cent's house.

John turned towards her. She did the same.

"Thanks for the wonderful time," he said, smiling. "We should do this again. Maybe... tonight?"

Cent smiled and said, "Now that is a garantee! I'll come to your place. Same time. As usual."

Then, John and Cent moved towards each other and kissed again. Their arms kept them in an embrace that was impossible to break from.

Finally, they pulled away.

"See you later," John walked forward and jumped.

Cent smiled and turned towards the door. She opened it and went on inside.

Once closing the door, she turned around and came face to face with David and Millie, who had their arms crossed on their chests. Their faces could be easily read as an anger expression.

_Oh boy! _she prepared herself. _Here we go._

* * *

**Ohhhhhhhhh! This is going to be exciting! I can't wait to get to the next chapter! **

**Hope that you guys liked it. Glad to have people reading my story. And a special thanks to Marie King, who has been along with the ride since the beginning. Thank you for the awesome reviews.**

**In speaking of reviews, this is a message to others: Please review on how you liked or disliked my story.**


	9. Family Meeting

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**David and Millie are on to Cent and her _boyfriend_. What happens next? Will they get in the way? Or will they be understanding?**

**Chapter nine is here and needs to be read! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Nine:**

**Family Meeting**

Cent's cheeks turned red as she looked at her parents, who were certainly not happy at the moment.

The _dead _silence continued for another few minutes, before Cent spoke first.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened," she looked towards the ground.

"We woke up and found your room empty," Millie raised her voice. "Do you have any idea how worried we were?! We almost called the police."

David remained silent, not wanting to join in on the arguement.

Millie elbowed him in the ribs.

David groaned and said, "Millie is right, you had us worried. Somewhat..."

"David!" Millie protested and stared at him with her serious eyes. "This is serious! Our own daughter, leaves without telling us and comes back around lunch time!"

"I remember a certain _someone_, who used to run out on her own parents and not come back for hours," David teased and began to laugh.

Cent couldn't help but laugh along with him.

Millie shot their both of them with a serious look, which ended the grins on their faces.

Taking her chance, Cent spoke up.

"I was out," she swallowed. "I was out with John again."

Both Millie and David looked at her with surprised faces.

"When you say John, you mean the same John that you went out with the other day, right?" Millie asked.

Cent nodded.

Millie and David smiled.

"Was that him outside?" David pointed towards the door. "I thought I heard another voice."

Cent nodded again, starting to smile.

"Well," Millie was now calm. "In that case, I guess we can see why you didn't wake us in the first place. Where did you two go?"

Cent was at a loss of words. She didn't know what to say to them. But she didn't want to lie.

She said the first thing that came to mind.

"To... his place."

Millie and David's eyes widened.

"Come again," David said in shock.

Cent swallowed and explained.

"Alright, I got a message from John, he wanted to meet up at his place, have some breakfast. And..," she pointed towards her mother, "he happens to be a really good cook by the way. So, we talked and had a fun time. You know. The usual stuff that teenagers do."

David raised an eyebrow.

"Did you two do _anything _else, while you were alone? Inside his own house?"

Cent could see seriousness inside his eyes.

_Oh oh! _she knew she needed to make sure he didn't go there.

"Ew! Dad!" she pretended to be disguisted by his choice of words. "Do you always think of that?!"

Millie laughed and punched David on the arm.

"If I remember, we did _things _together, back when we got started. Not to mention that we actually had sex on the first day of our relationship. Remember that?"

Cent had to laugh. She loved it when her mom countered him with something that he and her did back in their younger days.

David's eyes widened with embrashment.

"We were young," he tried to make an excuse. "We didn't know any better. Not to mention that we were emotionally compromised too. This is different."

"No, it ain't," Millie protested. "Cent is seventeen, almost eighteen. Her birthday is coming up soon."

Cent's heart stopped when she heard the words that her mother spoke. Her birthday was coming up in over two weeks, actually one week before summer break. She usually doesn't enjoy her birthdays anymore. It's just her and her family for the birthday party, which was good enough, but... it would lighten her day to see some friends or even a boyfriend at her birthdat party too.

David rolled his eyes and said, "Alright, sorry. I guess, I overreacted. Sorry."

Cent's heart went wild and she ran forward.

"Cent! Cent, no hugging me...!" he tried to dodge her.

But Cent rammed into him and hugged him with great force. Cracking a rib or two.

Millie laughed and nearly fell to the floor.

"Thanks dad!" Cent said with excitement. "Thanks for being understanding! I love you guys so much!"

David groaned in pain and said, "Yeah! Love you too! But can you at least make sure that our family love doesn't kill me first?"

Cent pulled away, smiled weakly, and said, "Sorry. My bad."

Millie came forward and put her arm around Cent.

"So," Millie winked at her daughter, "are you two getting... _serious?_

Cent laughed and said, "Yes, we are. I like him a lot. And he likes me."

Millie raised an eyebrow and said, "I can see that. There can only be one reason why you would leave early in the morning just to see him." She looked at David and smiled. "I remember the first time that I actually had true feelings."

David smiled back and said, "Yeah, me too."

Cent smiled at both of her parents.

Most of the time, parents can overreact and do something that only makes things worse. But Cent's parents were different. They understood about what Cent was going through and didn't do anything stupid to satisfy their own feelings. They had gone through some usual and unusual things in their relationship together. They knew that none of this had rules or anything to follow by. That was what made her parents so great. They knew when to put out punishment and when not to.

"I heard something about another date tonight," Millie raised her eyebrows at Cent.

Cent's face turned red.

"You heard that?"

"Yes," Millie laughed. "We heard everything. And I got to say... this John-guy sounds really nice. I can't wait to meet him sometime. You should invite him over for dinner tomorrow."

Cent's stomach dropped.

"Yeah," she said with a disturbing voice. "Yeah, we should."

David laughed and patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't shoot him with my shotgun. Besides, I don't own one anyway."

Millie and Cent laughed.

"Well, it has been an exciting morning," Millie walked up to David and kissed him. "How about we all go to New York and have some lunch?"

Cent and David nodded in agreement.

"Let me grab some cash from the safe upstairs," David ran up to the bedroom.

Millie laughed and said, "I love that man so much." She looked at Cent, whose face was turning white. "You okay dear?"

Cent looked up at her mom and nodded, smiling weakly.

"Just a little worried about having John over for dinner tomorrow."

"Don't worry," her mother assured. "I know we will like him. He seems really nice from the sound of his voice. I can tell about people like that."

Cent smiled but stared into space.

Truth to be told, Cent wasn't worried about the dinner plans for tomorrow. She was actually worried about how she and John were going to tell her parents about the stunning revelation about more Jumpers out there in the world. Also, about how will her parents take it when they found out. And what about John? Will he agree with coming to dinner? She knew she needed to ask him tonight. Discuss it with him.

Cent pushed all of those thoughts in the back of her head. Now was a time to have some fun with her family. She can talk to John about this later tonight.

David arrived back downstairs with some cash.

"Alrightly," Millie embraced him with a hug and kissed his lips.

Cent giggled at the sight.

"I love you," Milled smiled.

"I love you too," David responded.

Cent ran forward and hugged them both.

"Lets go," Cent laughed.

They jumped.

* * *

**Don't you just love family moments? I do. I love how David, Millie, and Cent act as one family together.**

**Hope you guys loved this chapter. We will get back to Cent and John in the next one.**

**Please review!**


	10. The One

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent and John go on their third date together. Millie and Cent have a _special _conversation. Cent asks John to meet her parents for the first time. What happens now?**

**Chapter ten is finally here! Please read and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Ten:**

**The One**

Cent changed into a pair of cut-offs and a black t-shirt in the bathroom. She brushed her hair and brushed her teeth three times before being satisfied with herself.

Walking back into her bedroom, she sat at the edge of her bed, place her hands on the bed for support.

_How am I going to convince him to do this? _her mind was spinning.

The thought had nearly taken over her entire day with her mom and dad.

Her parents wanted to meet John for dinner tomorrow. But Cent had doubts about John wanting to meet her parents. She could imagine him saying no or making an excuse to miss out. She didn't want to scary him away all because of her parents. She hated the thought to see him go. She couldn't help it if they split up now. Her heart had invested to much emotion and affection for this guy. It would tear her apart.

"Honey?" came Millie's voice from behind the door. "You still there, sweetheart?"

Cent smiled and said, "Yeah. Come on in mom."

Millie entered the bedroom and smiled at her.

"Look at you!" she exclaimed. "Looking _hot _for your new boyfriend. I _like _it. Way to go girl!"

Cent and Millie laughed.

"Okay," Millie came and sat down on the bed with her. "Tell me, what's the matter?"

"Is it really that obvious that there is something wrong with me?" Cent chuckled and leaned her head against her mother's shoulder.

"Yes, with you it is that easy. But you haven't answered my question."

Cent sighed and said, "I'm worried. About asking John to come to dinner with us tomorrow. I feel like I will scare him off or something."

Millie nodded and said, "Go on."

"And I feel this..." she placed her hand on her heart, "... _feeling_... inside my heart. Every time I see him. Or talk to him. Or even kiss him." She paused. "I just... feel this feeling inside that wants more of him. It's like I don't want to leave him. I keep dreading the moment when we would have to part. I even found myself crying from our last date." She looked up at Millie. "What can I do to make sure I don't scare him off?"

Millie smiled and looked towards the floor.

"I remember feeling like this," she said. "I remember the first time that I met your father. It was in New York, I was visiting from Stillwater, where I was going to college at the time. We met at a broadway theater and things went on from there. We talked and I found myself getting more interested in him. It was at the moment that I felt something inside me. A feeling that I had never felt before. It just came out of no where." She laughed. "I dreaded the moment when I had to leave New York. I wanted to stay with him. Heck, I wanted to bring him with me. But I knew I would see him again. We made plans to go to a party in Stillwater later on."

Cent smiled at her mother's story. She heard it many times from her father, but never from her mother. It was about time that she was getting her mother's side of the story.

"Anyway, about a few weeks later, your father arrived in Oklahoma City. I was there to pick him up from the airport." She paused. "Over those few weeks, I was having the exact same feelings that you have been feeling. I worried that I may scare him off or ask too much from him. I also feared that I would have to sleep with him to repay everything. But I ended up seeing a different side to David. He was more worried about me than himself. He didn't want to make things complicated and even offered to fly back to New York to spare me these feelings."

Cent touched Millie's hand and squeezed it.

"It was right then," Millie went on, "that I realized that he was different from the other boys. He wasn't looking to sleep with me for a good time. He wasn't trying to use me to his advantage. He was trying to get to know me. He wanted to have a relationship with me. Although, I think he was very confused, as I was. So... I asked him to stay and we went to the party together." Millie began to giggle. "Things didn't go well for David. We ran into my cheating ex-boyfriend, Mark, who couldn't get it in his head that we were over. David had to jump him to Oklahoma City in order to get rid of him. I felt bad for him. I should have known that Mark would be at the party."

"That was when your guys's relationship had really taken off," Cent added.

"Yes," Millie looked at her and smiled. "Yes, it was. We arrived back at my house that night and officially made our relationship more serious. That was the night that David gave up his virginity to me." She smiled at the thought. "Such a handsome, young man. Could have had any other girl... and yet, he chooses me. A college girl from Stillwater, Oklahoma. And there I was, sleeping with other men from the age of eighteen before even meeting him. Your father will always hold that over me. He waited for his one true love." Tears fell from her eyes. "I love him so much. It hurts. It really does."

Cent was in tears as well.

"Do you regret it?" Cent asked. "For not waiting for him, as he did for you?"

Millie nodded.

"I really do regret it," she forced the words out. "But your father didn't care. He didn't care that I slept with Mark or any of the other guys I've been with. He loved me and he was willing to forget my past relationships just to be with me. He made me into a better woman. And, in a way, I made him into a better man. We were made for each other. Once we had met in New York, there was no way we were going to be torn apart." She paused. "Even when we broke up, our love was pulling us together. I couldn't stand being without him. I found himself missing his touch, his face, his scent, even his body. I missed the mornings when I would find myself right next to him in bed. I never felt this way with anyone before. That was the moment when we finally realized that we were truely in love."

Millie exhaled and continued, "The thing about love is this, some people, meaning Mark, are the type of people who make us into someone we aren't. They pretend to be something else, just to get you interested in them and they use you. They bring us down and try to keep us down. They use words to discourage us. And they make us feel horrible about who we are on the inside."

Cent nodded, listening very carefully to her mother's words.

Millie smiled and said, "But then... there are people who make us better. People who make us love who we are on the inside and help us to be better. They encourage us, with words and actions, to move forward and reach for the sky. David is that kind of person, my knight and shining armor. It was the very reason I fell in love with him. The same kind of love that will never die."

Cent smiled even bigger as she heard the words from her mother. She loved the idea of someone being able to make her feel better about herself, even make her better than she ever imagined. Was John that kind of person for her? She hoped so. She wanted him to be. She wanted him to be all hers.

Millie moved her hand on Cent's cheek and stroked it. "My beautiful Cent. Just remember what I told you. Remember to watch for what he does and how he acts around you. If he is like Mark, then he is wrong for you. But, if he is like your father, or even better..."

Cent and Millie giggled together.

She continued, "... or even better than David is, then he is the right man for you. It means that he is the type of person who will never betray you. That he will protect and provide for you. You will have to find out just who he is. Test him. See who he truely is on the inside."

Cent hugged her mother and whispered, "Thank you. I feel so much better now. I think I can do this."

"I _know _you can do this," her mother stated. "Now, you better get going. Don't want the poor guy to think that you are missing out on him." She got up and walked right out the door, winking at Cent as she disappeared, down the hall.

Cent laughed and got up from the bed.

Then... she jumped.

* * *

Cent arrived in the living room of John's place.

"John?" she called out.

His voice came from his bedroom.

"I'm in here! Be right out!"

Cent giggled and said, "Alright!"

She collapsed on the couch and allowed herself to relax.

John emerged from the hallway and smiled at Cent.

Cent studied him over and laughed.

He was in a pair of swimming trunks and a loose t-shirt. He also wore some sandals too.

"Whats so funny?" John asked as he sat down right next to her.

Cent leaned forward and kissed him, arms around his neck.

John kissed her back and pulled her closer to him.

"_You_," Cent said as she pulled away from him. "You're in a pair of swimming trunks. It makes you look cute... and hot."

John raised an eyebrow.

"Well, thanks for the comment. Which brings me to why I am wearing these." He clapped his hands. "Have you ever went swimming off the coast of Italy before?"

Cent shook her head and said, "No, I don't believe so. But I have been to Italy before."

"Well," he moved his arm around Cent's shoulders, "it just happens to be a great time to be swimming off the coast. I know a place. Nice beach. Private. Even a little cave. And... it's beautiful at night too."

Cent smiled and said, "Sounds fun." She kissed him again. "But I forgot to bring my bathing suit."

John smiled back and got up from the couch.

"That is why I'm taking you shopping."

Cent's eyes widened.

"Shopping?" she asked in shock. "With me? Have you ever dated before? Rule one pal. Never go shopping with the girlfriend."

John shrugged and said, "Who cares! We can stop in Rome and shop at this mall there. I can wait. And no... I have never dated before."

He stretched out his hand towards her.

Cent giggled and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to him, into his embrace.

"Lets go to Rome then," he said and jumped.

* * *

They spent nearly three hours at the Mount Berry Square Mall. Cent tried out almost every single swimming suit store there was. She enjoyed it. Even John seemed to be liking it too.

Cent appeared from the changing room, wearing a green and blue colored bikinni, and showed herself off to John, who was laughing.

"Whats so funny?" she growled.

John smiled and said, "You look _hot _for one."

Cent returned him a smile of her own and said, "What do you think anyway? Too much?"

"No," he said in a calm way. "I think you look beautiful in it."

Cent blushed and walked up to him, put her arms around his neck. Then she kissed him.

When she pulled back, John asked, playfully, "What was that for?"

Cent smiled, seductively, and said, "For being so honest and nice to me. I feel like I must repay you somehow."

"Well, in that case," he placed his hands on her hips. "You can buy that bikinni and we can call it even. I really think it looks amazing on you. Please, get it."

Cent giggled and said, "Alright. Lover boy. I'll buy it. But I do intend to get wet in it."

"That's what swimming suits are for," he kissed her again, softly and slowly.

Cent returned to the changing room and got back into her original clothes. She bought the bikinni, with John's money, and they got some to-go dinner from a Chinese resturant in the food court.

"You ready to head to my private beach?" John kissed her forehead as they exited the mall.

"Ready as I ever will be," Cent replied.

When they were out of sight, John took ahold of her and they jumped.

* * *

Cent was amazed by the sight of the private beach that John was talking about. It was truely amazing. John said that no body comes around these parts anymore, which was okay for Cent. She wanted to be alone with John.

They ate their dinner on the beach, under the full moon. They even did a _"Lady and the Tramp" _trick together. Eating a noodle together, until their lips met, which is when they did a long and passionate kiss.

After eating, they explored the cave for a while, holding hands.

Just as they emerged from the cave, John spoke.

"Want to go for a swim?" he whispered against her ear.

Cent felt that same warm and cold feeling again. It ran from her ear and down to her spine, which made her shiver.

"I thought you would never ask," she teased.

John smiled and said, "Better go change in the cave. I'll wait out here."

"Okay," she pulled away from him and ran to where they left their stuff. She grabbed her swimming suit and ran back into the cave, changing as fast as she possibly could. She ran back outside and found John, sitting on the blanket, where their small mess of Chinese food laid.

"You ready?" she asked.

John turned and smiled at her.

"Sure I am," he got up and pulled her against him. "You look absolutely beautiful."

Before Cent could respond, he kissed her.

Cent's arms went around his neck and John's arms tightened around her waist.

They pulled away and looked each other in the eyes.

"You know," Cent broke the silence. "If you keep up the gentleman act, there might be a little bonus after all of this."

John chuckled and said, "What makes you think that I am _acting_ as a gentleman? Everything I do around you is real. What I feel, is also true too."

Cent smiled and looked to the water ahead of them. She could hear the waves and the sound of the wind. It made her more eagre to just jump right in.

John guessed what she was thinking and said, "Lets get going." He pulled away and was about to take off his shirt.

Cent stopped him by putting her hands on his shoulders and said, "May I take off your shirt this time? I wanted to see those scars of yours."

Cent had known that the scars on John's arms had extended to other parts of his body as well.

John nodded and raised his arms above his head.

Cent took ahold of his shirt and took it right off of him. She enjoyed every second of it.

Then... she noticed all kinds of cuts and bruises on his chest and lower stomach.

Cent gasped and put his hands over her mouth.

"Oh, John!" she began to form tears. "How did you get those?"

John's face dropped and said, "I sometimes run into Syndicate every now and then. They seem to be everywhere now. I sometimes barely escape with my life. They have these knives that have this chemical on them. It can make the mind feel drunk, making a Jumper unable to jump. They also use gun darts too. But they perfer knives. The cuts makes the chemical last longer."

Cent traces the cuts over his stomach and chest.

John turned around to reveal more cuts on his back, but they were much worse than they were on the front of him.

Cent began to cry, tears falling as if her eyes were pouring.

John embraced her and kissed the top of her head, burying his face into her blonde hair.

"It's okay," he whispered to me.

Cent buried her own face into his chest.

"Why do some people have to be so horrible?" she cried. "Why do they have to hurt you? They took away your parents and tried to take your own life. A person like you doesn't deserve this. You are the most caring, loving, and happiest person I have ever met. You are truely gentleman. Why does the world have to repay your kindness with horrible actions?"

"Actually, _you_ are repaying me," he whispered to her. "Just being here with me. Being able to share my secret with you. All of it is payment enough. I don't need the world to give me money or a mansion. All I want is you. If I had a choice, I would _always_ choose you."

Cent looked up at him, wiping away her tears and said, "Thank you. You have no idea how much your words mean to me."

John leaned down and kissed her on the lips. She kissed right back.

"Lets go for a swim," he led her to the water. "You'll love how things look at night in the water."

They slowly allowed the water to cover them. Soon, they found themselves almost a half a mile from the shore. They swam and did a few laps. They even swam underwater, despite the darkness. And they also held each other above the surface of the water, forehead to forehead.

About thirty minutes later, John kissed her and said, "We should head back to shore. I don't want to make enemies with your parents just yet."

Cent giggled and then remembered something.

"Hey, before you jump us back to shore, can I ask you something?"

John laughed and said, "You can ask me anything."

Cent bit her lip and said, "My parents were wondering if you would come to dinner with us tomorrow. At our place. They want to meet you."

She waited for it. The moment of truth. She was waiting for him to say no or that he couldn't make it. She even closed her eyes.

John kissed her on the forehead and said, "I would love to. What time?"

Cent's eyes shot open and looked straight at him. She was shocked by his answer.

"What... what?" she could barely speak.

"I would love to come," he repeated.

Cent shook her head and asked, "You sure? Won't it be a little awkward for you?"

"I want to be able to meet your parents and offically make our relationship more easier for us," he smiled. "I want to make this work. In fact... I think we should reveal my secret to them. So that they know that I'm not holding any secrets from them."

Cent's mouth dropped. She was about to protest, but John kissed her before she could.

Not fighting back, she kissed him back.

During the kiss, Cent realized something. Something that had to do with what her mother said. John was the _right _man for her. He made her feel special and more than just herself. He made her proud of who she is. He was careful, respectful, and loving. He was revealing his true self to her. Something that many people don't do.

He was_ the one!_

* * *

They returned to the beach and dried off with the blanket... _together._

Once Cent had changed back in the cave and came back to where John was, who had his shirt back on, she grabbed ahold of him and kissed him.

"What was that for?" he asked, holding her tightly.

Cent smiled back and said, "For everything." She kissed him again.

"So, what time shall I come over tomorrow?" he asked as he gathered up their things.

Cent thought about it and asnwered, "Around six o'clock. I'll be waiting by the front door for you."

John winked and said, "I'll be there. Can't wait to meet your parents."

Cent rolled her eyes and said, "All I care about is having you there."

John laughed and he took ahold of her.

They kissed and jumped.

* * *

Cent hated to say goodbye to John but she knew she needed to be back to her house again. It was nearing midnight.

They sat together on the sofa and kissed.

"Please don't go," John playfully begged. "Spend the night again."

Cent smiled and kissed him once more.

"Sorry, but no can do. I have to get back to my worried parents. They might actually send the police after me."

John nodded and said, "At least let me walk you to the front door again."

Cent couldn't help it. She took ahold of his hand and said, "Yes, please do that."

With that, John and Cent got up and jumped.

* * *

This time, they were literally at the front door of her parent's house.

Cent and John held on to each other and kissed.

"See you tomorrow," John said and pulled away.

"See you," Cent whispered as he jumped before her eyes.

Standing their for a little while, she finally entered the front door and closed it on her way in.

Just as she turned around, her mother was standing there, in her robe. She was smiling.

"So," Millie raised an eyebrow, "how was it?"

Cent laughed and said, "You were right." She walked forward and hugged her. "He really is the right man for me. He has agreed to come and join us for dinner tomorrow. I cannot wait for you and dad to meet him. He is so nice and such a good gentleman. I think I may be in love."

Millie laughed and said, "For a first date, I say that you have picked the right one. I'm happy for you."

Cent looked around and was surprised to see that David wasn't there.

"Uh, where is dad?" Cent chuckled.

Millie put on her wicked smile and said, "We had some wine and got straight to _business_. I think I may have worn him out."

Cent and Millie giggled together.

Without another word, they went straight to bed.

Cent changed into her Lord of the Rings pajamas and got into her comfortable bed.

She dreamt of John that night.

* * *

**My biggest chapter yet.**

**How was it? Did you like it? What about John and Cent's romantic getaway?**

**Please review!**


	11. A Guest For Dinner

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**John meets Millie and David for the first time. How will things turn out?**

**As a little mix up, we finally get to see a little third point of view from John. Just so that we can warm up to him. We will also get to meet the main villian of this story too.**

**Enjoy chapter eleven! This should be interesting.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven:**

**A Guest For Dinner**

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John spent most of his day walking down the streets of New York City. He had just been to a clothing store, called Rue 21. He bought a brand-new pair of dark blue jeans, a tight black t-shirt, and some new socks as well. He even stopped at a shoe store and bought a brand-new pair of Nikes. He wasn't trying to look like a millionaire. He was being himself, wearing what he loved to wear. Something that would be appropriate for the dinner he was going to.

The one thing that John couldn't get out of his mind was the past few days that he has been using with Cent. He had... _feelings for her_... he knew that much. But he couldn't quite figure out, what those feelings meant. Was he in love with her? Was he just having a crush? Either way, this was the first time he ever had feelings for a girl. Never once had he felt this way before. Even in his younger days, John didn't looked at a single girl with the desire he had for Cent.

But these questions were to be saved for another time.

He had company.

John noticed the black sedan, with tainted windows, following him. It had past him about five times before. And now... it was pulling to the curb of the sidewalk, parking.

_Syndicate! _his mind roared.

Without thinking, he ran. He couldn't jump just yet. Too many witnesses.

From the corners of his eyes, he noticed men-in-black getting out of the sedan, knives in the palm on their hands, one even carried a gun.

"John!" one of them yelled. "Stop!"

People ran out of John and the men-in-black's way, not bothering to get involved

Then, something unexpected happened, one of the men-in-black fired a single bullet.

John felt it scraping his shoulder.

_The chemical!_ his heart began to race. He knew he had to jump before the chemical could take full affect. Even the smallest amount could scramble the mind from making a single jump.

People began to scream, some even ran behind parked cars.

John saw an alley up ahead. He smiled and picked up the pace.

Another bullet came flying his way, but missed.

Turning down the alley, John jumped.

The men-in-black came around the corner, only to see that he wasn't there.

* * *

John landed on top of the roof, right across the street from where he had previously had jumped. The chemical had already taken affect on his mind. He couldn't jump all the way to Los Angeles just yet. He needed the chemical to go away, on its own. The good news, bullets don't carry that much of the chemical inside them. The burning of the bullet, when fired, burns away the chemical that lies inside. It was the very reason why Syndicate agents use knives instead. Bullets only had a few minutes worth of chemical on them. A knife can carry a few hours.

Peeking over the edge of the roof, he saw the same men-in-black guys in the alley way, looking around them.

_Not today boys, _John joked.

Then... he saw the last person he wanted to see.

Another sedan pulled up towards the alley way and parked. From the sedan, a tall, black haired, white man appeared from the passenger seat. He wore a black suit too and a pair of sunglasses. He seemed to be ordering around the other agents, yelling at them. He took off the sunglasses and put them into his chest pocket.

John got out his cell phone and dialed a number. He knew who the man was and he always made sure to carry his number around.

The man's name was Travis Shaw, a high ranking agent of Syndicate. A lot of people considered him to be good at his job... _and he was. _John didn't just know him as just the man who was trying to capture him... but as the man who _killed his parents._ He was the one who pulled the trigger on his own father and his mother. John hated him with all of his heart for what he did.

John watched as Travis answered his cell phone.

"Who is this?!" he demanded to know. His own voice was filled with evil and darkness.

John didn't answer. He just breathed in and out. Revealing his own anger towards him. His hand squeezed over the phone.

Travis laughed and said, "Oh, boy! I can feel that! The anger. The heat from your face. You are really letting it all out, aren't you?"

John's mind was telling him to shout and threaten him. But he held his tongue. He knew better.

Travis spoke again.

"You know we are going to find you. Just a matter of time. We are everywhere. We have scientists just waiting to... _study _you."

John breathed in and out, controlling his own anger.

"Your boys are getting sloppy," John teased. "I think they're losing their touch. I remember them being faster, back in Shanghai. Shame."

Travis laughed.

"You know what? I like you, John. I consider you to be a worthy opponent. You are the only one who has escaped us. I give you credit for that. But your escapes are only making us more hungry to get you." He paused. "You see, when a lion doesn't capture its prey, it becomes obessive. It spends the rest of its life, trying to kill the one thing that has escaped it. You are the prey. Nothing can save you from us. Nothing."

John chuckled and said, "Well, something is for sure keeping me alive. I mean, after all, I was a boy when I escaped you. I wonder what your superiors did when they had found out about that."

"They don't know!" Travis's voice was filled with anger.

John laughed and said, "So, you lied and made me sound like I don't exist. Good thinking. Protecting your career. Still, doesn't change the facts though. I just hope you are up to the challenge."

Things went quiet for a while.

John knew that he had really ticked off Travis. Even from the roof, he could see his face red.

Then, Travis spoke, and his words echoed in John's ears.

"Tell me, John, what did it feel like that night?" He chuckled. "What did it feel like when you watched your dear old mommy die in front of you? Or, how about your father? Such a good man, never got angry, did what he needed to do. But in the end, it wasn't enough to save him. Your mother was beautiful. Shame, I had to put her down. I had great... _desires_... for her. What did it feel like when I put a bullet inside of them?" He paused, allowing the silence to speak for itself. "How did it feel when I took your parents away from you forever?"

John's face was red. He could feel his nerves, his muscles, his mind, and even his own hands, begging him to jump at Travis and kill him. He was wanting to do it. So bad. Nothing could stop him. He had the power to do what he wanted.

But deep down, he knew that his father wouldn't do it. He would hold his ground and do the right thing. Just like he did when he died. His father died to save him, at the cost of his own life.

John held his tongue and hang up.

Thanks to the anger that he had, the chemical had been burned away, he was free to jump.

Before getting up, he saw Travis laughing. Like he had just gotten a joke.

Suddenly, like as if he could feel it, Travis looked up and stared at John. Their eyes connected and kept them on each other. The hatred and fear could be felt, even from a great distance.

Travis smiled and mouthed something to him.

Ignoring him, John jumped.

* * *

John appeared in his bedroom. He collapsed on the bed and replayed the day's events.

Even though he was trying to forget Travis, he still remembered what he mouthed to him.

_See you soon._

Those were his exact words towards him. And it scared John to his core.

There was a reason why Travis was one of the high ranking agents in the organization. He's an ex-Special Forces soldier, served as a mercanary after that. He knew how to fight and run a battle. He had no remorse for killing. Even the innocent were of no concern to him.

John leaned up and saw the time on the clock.

It was nearing five thirty.

_Better get ready, _he told himself and got up from the bed.

He went into the bathroom and took care of the scratch that was on his shoulder. He tried to make it as invisible as he could but as usual... it is always visible.

Once done with that, he stripped off his clothes and hopped into the shower, turning the nobs to full heat. After drying himself off, he got into his new clothes and put on a special kind of cologne and deodorant. He used mathwash and brushed his treeth.

Once done, he emerged from the bathroom.

His heart started to race. He couldn't wait to see Cent again. He also couldn't wait to meet her parents. Deep down, he knew that it would right to reveal his power to them. He wanted to have a special connect with them. Share his secret with them. Become friends and all of that. He wasn't doing it to impress Cent or her parents, but because he wanted to be honest with them. To be himself.

He then got an idea to stop at a flower store and buy some red roses. As a gift to Cent and her family.

Just thinking of Cent inside his mind, John jumped.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent was going crazy. Both inside and outside of her mind. She had taken three showers... in one hour. Brushed her hair and brushed her teeth about ten times. Not to mention, trying out nearly all of her clothes, to pick out the right outfit. She wanted to look beautiful in front of John. She worried about what her would think of her when he came over. A lot of ideas were going through her head at the moment.

Just as Cent emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a pair of tight blue jeans and a purple t-shirt, she showed herself off in front of the small mirror on her dresser.

Millie appeared at the doorway and laughed.

"Honey!" she exclamied. "What are earth are you doing? That is the thirty-first outfit that you have tried out."

Cent looked at her and smiled, weakly.

"Sorry," she looked back at the mirror. "I just hope that John will like what he sees."

Millie laughed and stepped into the room.

"Well, from where I stand..." she looked her daughter over and smiled. "You look _hot_! John is going to be begging for you tonight. I mean, just see how those jeans make your butt look. That's what I'm talking about girl! Whoop! Whoop!" Millie did a little dance and ran forward.

Cent didn't have time to react.

Millie slapped her on the butt.

Cent laughed and backed up against the wall.

"MOTHER!" Cent giggled. "_What are earth has gotten into you?!_ Slapping your own daughter on the butt like that!"

Millie continued to laugh and said, "Just happy that my little girl has finally captured the heart of a boy. And I got to say... it is about time. I mean, you did come close back in Seattle, but this boy sounds more interesting and nice. I cannot wait to meet him."

Cent raised an eyebrow and asked, "Shouldn't you and dad be going crazy about this? Like... I don't know... giving me _the talk_ or giving me a hard time about dating?"

Millie laughed and responded, "We all go through this stage in our lives, sweetheart. I know me and your father did. But you see... parents have a thing to over-react and cause problems. It never works to over-react. It always causes problems and conflicts. Me and David already talked about it and we want to give John a chance."

Cent smiled and ran forward, hugging her mother.

"Thank you guys so much," she said, allowing a tear to fall. "You are the best parents in the world."

"We just want whats best for you," Millie replied. "I hope that John _is_ the best thing for you. In fact, my gut tells me that he is."

Suddenly, the door bell rang.

Cent pulled away.

_John! _her mind was filled with excitement.

Without thinking, she jumped in front of her mother.

* * *

Cent appeared at the front door. She made sure that her hair was tucked behind her back and opened the door.

John stood in front of her, holding a pair of red roses in his hands.

Cent ran forward, ignoring the flowers and hugged John. She squeezed him hard in her embrace.

John groaned and said, "Ow. My ribs."

Cent giggled and pulled away.

"Sorry," she weakly said. "I can be a little strong in these kinds of moments."

"It's okay," he laughed and handed her the flowers. "These are for you and your parents. I hope that you love them."

Cent gentlely took them and brought them close to her face, smelling them. She could taste the scent from them.

"I love them," she closed her eyes. "They are beautiful."

John smiled and said, "But not as beautiful as you are. I love what you are wearing by the way."

Cent's eyes widened and she removed the flowers from her face.

Both her and John tilted their heads and came forward, slowly. Then... they kissed. Arms around each other's necks.

Cent didn't realize it but she had allowed the flowers to fall from her hand.

John came to the rescue and carefully used his hand to catch them in midair. His movements were barely felt by Cent, who was too busy at the moment.

John and Cent didn't know it, but Millie and David were right behind them. They had heard what John had said and were witnesses to the love moment at their front door.

Millie clapped her hands together and allowed the tears to fall from her eyes. She even smiled at the sight.

David couldn't help but smile too. He held back the tears, but allowed one to fall. He was a very emotional man.

Both Millie and David saw the way how they held each other, the way they acted around each other, and how they kissed each other. These were signs of something much stronger than a crush or plain feelings. Something they, themselves, had went through a long time ago.

About a full minute later, David coughed, thinking that they had been kissing long enough.

Millie rolled her eyes.

Both Cent and John pulled away, smiling, and turned to face them.

"Hey, mom and dad," Cent giggled and took John's hand. "This is John."

Millie raised an eyebrow and said, "We've noticed."

"Yeah, in a awkward moment," David added and laughed.

Millie, Cent, and John laughed at his joke too.

Cent and John walked into the house, with John closing the door.

Once turning around, he walked forward and handed the flowers to Millie.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Rice," he smiled. "These are for you and your daughter. I wanted to get you guys something."

Millie blushed and took the flowers. Smelling them.

"They're beautiful," she acknowledged. "But I think you see something more beautiful than these." She winked at Cent, who blushed right back at her.

John nodded and walked to David, stretching out his hand towards him.

"Pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Rice," he spoke in a calm and gentle voice. "Your daughter is very beautiful. You have done well as a father."

David was taken away by how much of a gentleman and serious he was.

They both shook hands.

David nodded and said, "Thank you, Mr. Bale. I couldn't have said better myself. I just hope that you aren't faking your attitude."

"David!" Millie giggled. "Lets not make our guest feel uncomfortable. I'm sorry for my paranoid husband." She shot David a serious look.

John smiled at her and said, "No need to apoligize. He is just defending his daughter and you. I admire that."

David and Millie's eyes widened, even their mouths dropped.

Cent was impressed as well. She was expecting this thing to explode in her face. It was doing the exact opposite.

Millie was the first to recover.

"Well, um, I guess we should get straight to dinner," she sat the flowers in a vace that was empty.

John smiled and said, "Before we do, I have to confess something to you and Mr. Rice. It's something very important and I don't think it can go unnoticed."

_Uh oh! _Cent's mind alarms were going crazy. It was the moment of truth.

Millie nodded and said, "Alrightly, we're listening."

David seemed uneased by this.

John put his hands together and said, "I knew about you and your daughter being Jumpers."

Millie and David's eyes widened. They looked over to Cent, a little bit of anger and confusion in their eyes, and turned their eyes toward John again.

John continued.

"Don't blame her," he said calmly. "She didn't tell me anything. I figured it out myself. In fact..." He paused. "... I happen to be a Jumper too."

Before anyone could speak, John jumped about three feet back and then jumped back to where he orginally was.

David and Millie backed away, shocked by what they had just seen.

"You're a Jumper!" David exclaimed.

John nodded and said, "I apologize if this upsets you. I didn't mean to cause trouble with this revelation. I was only trying to be honest. For the sake of you and your daughter."

Millie had tears in her eyes and she did the one thing that shocked Cent to her very core. She ran forward and... hugged him.

John was taken away by her hug. He was expecting a slap to the face.

He hugged her right back.

"Thank you for being honest," she whispered. "Thank you for coming into my dauther's life. I can tell that you are a good man."

John's heart warmed and stopped for a second.

They pulled away. Smiling at each other.

David came up and patted John on the shoulder.

"I have to say," he began, still shocked. "I didn't think that there were more of us out there." He looked at Cent and then back at John. "I'm happy that my daughter has found you. It makes me proud that you are like us. Someone who can share our secret and know what we are going through. I'm proud to have you date my daughter. You are an honest man." Then... he hugged him as well.

John hugged back. Shocked that both Mrs. and Mr. Rice were approving of this.

"You have no idea how much stress and pressure had been taken off of our shoulders," David whispered to him. "I thank you for that."

John nodded and said, "Your welcome, sir."

They pulled away.

"No," David said, "for now, you call me David. I think you have earned that right now. I don't want to hear any of that 'sir' or 'Mr. Rice' business. You are part of this family now."

John smiled and said, "Thank you... David."

Everyone laughed.

"Well," Millie smiled, wiping away the tears. "I guess we should get to it then. Food is getting cold and we are standing here like someone has died."

That got a laugh out of everyone again.

Cent came forward and took John's hand. She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.

John's face lit up red.

Millie began to cry again and said, "I haven't been this happy since the day that Cent was born." Her eyes widened as she remembered something. "In fact, after dinner, I should show you some her baby pictures..."

"Mother!" Cent laughed. "You're embrassing me! Stop it!"

Millie, David, and John laughed.

"I would love to," John teased and winked at Cent.

Cent frowned, playfully, and brought him closer to her.

"Are we going to eat or starve?" David joked.

Finally, they all took the conversation to the kitchen, where a table of fresh tacos were waiting for them.

* * *

Cent didn't know what was worse. Her false world where her parents disapproved of her boyfriend or the on-going conversation that was going on to midnight. She couldn't get a single moment with John alone.

They all went to the living room, sitting on the couch. Having conversations with each other.

John had revealed everything about himself to her mom and dad that night. He told about his discovery of his jumping, his parents death, and life on his own. It was the part about Syndicate that got the attention of her parents. They went deep into the conversation with that one.

Finally, she got her alone time as her parents were about to do dishes.

"I would love to help," John assisted. "You invited me over, I should help clean up the mess that I have made at the table."

Millie shook her head and said, "No need. You are a guest in our house._ A_ _guest for dinner_. Me and my husband will do the dishes. We love to do things together."

David smiled and put his arm around his wife.

"Yes, we do," he looked at Cent and smiled. "Besides, I think this one has been wanting to steal you away for a while now."

Both Millie and David disappeared into the kitchen.

Cent groaned and said, "About freaking time. I thought they would never let you go." She got up from the couch and took John's hand.

John got up and followed her to the stairs.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"To my room," Cent replied. "I want some privacy. And I think my parents would like some too. They can get horny when they do things together... _alone_."

John chuckled and said, "I bet. I can see the way they look at each other. Like two magnets."

Cent smiled and tightened her hand over John's.

They climbed the steps of the stairs and came to her room down the hall.

John whistled as he entered from behind Cent.

"Nice room," he acknowledged. "I'm a little jealous right now."

Cent closed the door and locked it.

_This is privacy enough, _she thought.

Turning around, she walked towards John and grabbed him by the shirt, yanking him towards her.

Not expecting this kind of behavior from her, John was taken away.

Cent kissed him... in a way that she has never kissed him before.

Going along with it, he kissed back and allowed his hands to rest on her hips.

Cent's arms went around his neck and pulled him closer.

When they pulled apart, while still in each other's arms, Cent pressed her head against John's shirt. Then she noticed the visible stratch on his shoulder.

"What happened?" she asked, touching the stratch with her hand. "That wasn't there before."

John sighed and said, "I ran into Syndicate agents in New York. One of them had a gun and almost got me."

Cent gasped and embraced him again. Daring not to let go of him.

"How did they find you?" she asked, tears running down her cheeks.

"I don't know," he replied against her shoulder. "They are everywhere. And they are desparate to capture me. I'm the only one that has ever escaped them. If their superiors found out, then a lot of people would be hurt by me. They will send everything they have against me."

Cent looked him the eyes and clapped her hands on both sides of his face.

"I will never, ever, let them take you," she said in a serious voice. "They can have the world, but they can't have you. You are _mine_. Mine alone. No one else can have you. No one."

John smiled and kissed her. She kissed back.

"They will never capture me," he replied. "I've done this before. And now that I have you, my reasons for staying alive have made me stronger. There is no way that I'm letting them catch me."

Cent let the tears fall and smiled at him.

"Will you do me a favor?" she asked.

"Sure, anything," he looked into her eyes and stroked her left cheek.

Cent felt her pulse rising.

"Will you... lie with me on the bed? Just for a little while. Nothing funny. Just lying down? Maybe with your shirt off too?"

John smiled and nodded.

"I don't mind. Just as long if there isn't any _funny_ business."

Cent laughed and helped him out of his shirt, his bare chest exposed.

They lowered themselves onto the bed. Their arms went around each other's waists.

Cent's face was pressed into his chest and John's head rested on top of hers, breathing into her hair.

They remained quite for a while.

John finally broke the silence and said, "Can I tell you something?"

Cent smiled and replied, "You can tell me anything. I love it when you tell me the truth. It is why I like you so much." She kissed his chin and his chest.

"Remember when I told about the night that my parents died?"

"Yeah."

"Well," he paused. "I know the man who killed them. His name is... Travis Shaw."

Cent looked at him, all confused.

"Today," he continued, "I saw him in New York. I keep a cell phone number that he has. I make sure that my cell phone is encrypted with the most secure military security there is. But anyway, I spoke to him today. He got me angry and I nearly exploded. He disrespected my parents and made fun of how he killed them. I felt this urge to kill him. I _wanted_ to kill him." Tears fell from his eyes. "I'm scared. I'm scared that I will do something wrong. I don't want to take my vengaence, no matter what he has done. I just want to be left alone. To live a normal life. No more hiding. No more running."

Cent leaned up and hugged him, pressing his face int her chest. She could feel his cheek on one of her breasts, but she didn't care. She was rather enjoying his warmth on her skin. In fact, she wanted... _more_. But he was in an emotional situation. He needed comfort.

"Shhhh," she rubbed his hair and kissed his forehead. "Shhhhh, it's okay. I'll make sure that you will never lose control, not while I'm here. I'll protect you. No matter what."

For the remainder of that night, they stayed in each other's arms. Cent's parents didn't come to check up on them. In fact, Cent thought that she heard them going to bed, making sure not to wake them.

The very thought of her parents compromising with her and John made her smile. She knew she had the best parents in the world.

Cent felt John's breath against her skin and her skin shivered at it. She wanted more of him. But for the moment... she was satsified with what she was getting.

She closed her eyes and for the first time, she didn't have to dream. She was living the dream. John was right there, in her arms, in her embrace.

"Goodnight," she whispered to John and kissed him on the lips.

John smiled but didn't wake up.

Cent smiled back and allowed herself to fall asleep, with John in her arms.

* * *

**Wow! Longest and biggest chapter that I have ever done! Hope that this chapter is good.**

**Please enjoy and read this chapter. And review, that is important too.**


	12. Need More Time

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent skips schools and hangs out with John for the entire day. John and Cent discuss something very important. What is in store for these two young lovers?**

**Say hello to chapter twelve. Please read and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve:**

**Need More Time**

Cent and John laid in bed together. In each other's arms. They held on to the other's waists, making sure that nothing could tear them apart. They enjoyed the warmth from each other's bodies. Even in their sleep, they could feel each other in their grasp.

Cent opened her eyes and looked straight at John's face. She came to realize how cute he looked when he was alseep. She smiled and stroked his hair, loving how comfortable it felt on her fingers. She loved everything about him. His scent. His skin. His hair. Even his his very own existence. Her heart raced as she looked at him, fully recongizing that he was in her room, in her very own arms. Just as she always dreamed it would be.

Even though it was a Monday, Cent didn't plan on going to school. In fact, she had unplugged her alarm clock late into the night, not wanting the moment to be ruined. Cent figured that she could use another free day with John and have some fun. Just the way she wants it.

Finally, John slowly opened his eyes and smiled at Cent. He reached forward and stroked her cheek.

Cent moaned with pleasure and touched his hand with her own, concealing it.

"Please, don't stop," she whispered. "I love how you touch my skin. You have the most gentle hands."

John chuckled and said, "You can thank my mother for that one, she was the one who had the most softest hands in the family."

Cent moved her arms around his neck and pulled him forward.

Their lips met and they began to kiss, deep.

John sat up on his elbows and moved on top of her.

Cent allowed him to move on her. Her hands dug into his back, bringing him closer to her. She kissed him harder and arched up towards him, filling in the blank space that was left between them.

After they parted, John stared into Cent's eyes and said, "I think we go have some coffee in the kitchen. I can use some." He paused to look at himself and laughed. "I think I can use a shower too. I'll jump over to my place and be real quick."

Cent's heart jumped and her stomach fell. Her face turned white. She feared him leaving her. She didn't want him to go.

Just as John moved off of her and stood up from the bed, Cent grabbed his arm and held on tight.

John looked at her and laughed.

"I can't jump if you can't let me go," he teased. "I'll only be gone for a few minutes."

"Please don't go," Cent begged. "Please?"

John's smile disappeared once he saw the look on her face. He could tell that she was scared.

"I have a shower here," she quickly said. "You can take one and I'll wait out here for you. Please?"

John looked towards the bathroom and raised an eyebrow.

"You sure your parents won't mind?" he asked.

Cent chuckled and said, "I'll make sure that they don't know about it. Just make it quick. I want to hold you again."

"Alright."

John laughed and pulled away from her, he walked into the bathroom. He picked his black t-shirt off the ground.

Once inside the bathroom, he closed the door and got some privacy for himself.

Cent smiled and laid back on to her bed. She stared up at the ceiling and listened. She could hear John turning on the shower. A part of her wanted to be in the shower with him. But... that would upset her parents a little bit. It was bad enough that he was using her shower already, but she didn't care.

About ten minutes later, John emerged from the bathroom, back into his original clothes, but smelling much better.

Cent sat up on the bed and got up. She walked over to him and put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.

They kissed and held on to each other.

"Lets go _meet the parents_," John joked.

Cent laughed and allowed them to part. She took his hand and pulled him closer to her, just the way she likes it. Then they exited the bedroom and walked down the stairs.

Millie and David were already at the dinner table, drinking coffee together.

Just as Cent and John came in, hand in hand, both David and Millie looked up at them.

Millie smiled and said, "Look at you two. Such an adorable couple." She got up from her chair. "Can I get you two anything?"

John nodded and said, "I wouldn't mind some coffee."

"And me too," Cent quickly added.

Millie laughed and waved them away. She walked to the coffee maker and started making more coffee.

Cent and John took their seats at the table. They kissed each other, not bothering to be shy.

David laughed as he read his morning newspaper.

"You two remind me of the first time I started a relationship with my beautiful wife," he smiled.

Millie blushed and threw her back on to her back. Even from the corners of her mouth, everyone could tell that she was smiling.

David turned his attention to his daughter and to John. He smiled and said, "I hope you two had a _nice _time last night."

Cent and John both let out a small chuckle, feeling embrassed.

Millie came towards them and sat two cups of coffee in front of them.

"Nice and hot," she exclaimed. "Drink up!" She sat back down with David and kissed him.

"I'm guessing that you aren't going to school today," David smiled at Cent. "I don't blame you for doing so. I would have done the same thing for Millie here."

Millie punched him on the shoulder and gave him a big kiss on the lips.

Looking into his eyes, Millie said, "I love you!"

"I love you too," David kissed her again.

John and Cent watched in amusement and smiled. Even they had to enjoy the moment that those two were having.

They spent the remainder of the morning in the kitchen. Drinking coffee, talking, and playing card games too. It was the best moment in Cent's life. And it was for John too. It was the first time that he actually felt like part of a family.

John put his arm around Cent, who pulled him closer to her.

"So," he whispered, while Millie and David talked to each other, "where do you want to go?"

Cent smiled and said, "Anywhere."

John kissed her on the forehead and replied, "Coming right up."

They both got up from their chairs.

"We're going to be head back to my place," John said to David and Millie. "I hope that isn't a problem."

Millie smiled and said, "Not at all."

"Have fun," David winked at them.

John hugged Cent and jumped.

* * *

They both appeared in his living room and fell on to the couch together, holding each other in their embrace. Not daring to let go of each other.

After an hour of silence and holding each other, John broke the silence.

"So, where _do you want to go_?"

Cent smiled and said, "I haven't been to Washington D.C. yet. Can we go there?"

John laughed and kissed her, softly.

"We can go anywhere you want," he replied.

They both stood up and jumped again.

* * *

Both Cent and John spent the remainder of the day in Washington D.C. They visited museums. National parks. The White House, illegally by the way. And even the National Monument.

It was getting dark out by the time they had decided to go eat at a really expensive Italian resturant. They ordered their meals and had a few laughs for the next hour.

"I can't believe that you actually remember me mentioning Italain," Cent took a drink of her soda.

John smiled and said, "Don't worry, next time I will do homemade. My special treat."

"Hey, I don't think I stand for dessert," Cent giggled.

John giggled with her and said, "I don't think I can either." He paused and looked at her.

Cent noticed his stare and blushed away, looking out the window of the nice view of the National Monument.

"What are you looking at?" she turned back at him.

John smiled even bigger and said, "You. I can't help but notice how beautiful you are."

Cent breathed in and out, slowly. She didn't expect that kind of answer from him.

There was something that Cent had been meaning to ask John about. Something that was really important. Something that needed to be taken care of.

"John..." her voice was small and a little hurt. "I need to ask you something."

John reached forward, across the round table, and took both of her hands.

"Go ahead," he kissed top of her hand.

Cent blushed and said, "I want to know where we stand. I want to know where this relationship is going." She drew in a breath. "We both know that we have powerful feelings for each other, but we don't exactly know for sure of what our feelings truely are. I just... need to know." She tightened her grip on John's hand.

John didn't seem affected by what she told him. He looked straight into her eyes and said, "I've been thinking the same thing as well. And I think I know how to answer those questions."

Cent frowned and asked, "How."

"By going to the prom with me this Friday," he replied.

Cent's face fell and her body went numb. His suggestion had stunned her.

"Wh... wh... what?" she could barely speak.

John swallowed and explained, "I had this idea. That we go the prom this Friday. You know, dancing, seeing who wins Prom King & Queen, and spending late after-evening hours in the park. The usual. I think we should think about our relationship from here until then. We don't see each other till prom. Give us time to think about where we stand in this relationship we have. Then... on Friday, we be honest with each other and see where it goes. Because... I don't want to hurt you." He reached forward and touched her cheek. "I can never forgive myself if I ever hurt you. And I want us to think about this. See if we are fully committed to moving forward. Does that sound good to you?"

Cent didn't answer. She was too stunned to even speak. Every fiber in her body yelled at her to say that she wanted their relationship to be offically _offical._ But she held her tongue and didn't say anything.

Finaly, she spoke.

"I agree with you," the words tasted like salt to her throat. "We do what you suggest and go to the prom together this Friday. We take our time and think things over."

John nodded, although, Cent could tell that he was expecting her to say something different. Even she wanted to say something different from what she had just said. She could tell that he was trying to be fair with her. Trying to make sure that he wasn't too controlling.

"Alright," he replied and smiled. "Friday it is." He paused and looked her in the eyes again. "You want to go home? Or stay a little longer?"

Cent smiled and said, "Lets stay a little bit longer. I want to enjoy the night, before we go through four days without each other." She reached forward and took his hand again.

John smiled and leaned forward. He kissed her on the lips. She kissed back.

After John paid the bill, they went to explore more of Washington.

* * *

Cent arrived home around eight in the afternoon. She jumped to her bedroom and fell, face first, on to her bed.

The afternoon had taken a turn for the worse. Both her and John hadn't said much since their little _conversation _at the resturant in Washington. In fact, the only words they ever said to each other was "good-night". It was like a great distance was being put in between them. And Cent hated it. A part of her didn't want it there. She wanted to jump to John and tell him that she knew what she wanted. But the truth was... she was confused. Her feelings were pulling in different directions. She didn't know what to think.

Tears began to fall from her eyes and soon... she began to sob.

A small knock came at her door.

"Honey? You okay?" came Millies voice.

Millie opened the door and came on in. She sat the edge of the bed and stroked her daughter's back.

"Shhhh," she whispered. "It's okay, baby. I'm here. Tell what is wrong."

Cent sat up on her bed and said, "Me and John are going to the prom."

Millie's face lit up with excitment.

"Honey!" she exclaimed. "That is awesome! We can go shopping again!"

Cent wiped away the tears and laughed.

"But..." she could barely speak.

"But what?" Millie's face fell with worry.

Cent cried some more and said, "Me and John are... trying to figure out our feelings for each other. He's suggesting that we wait till prom and see where we stand on our relationship. He thinks that a little time to think about it, without both of us in the same room, will help us see clearly." She paused again and sobbed some more. "But... I'm scared. I'm scared of losing him. I don't know how to explain it. I can't stand the thought of not being without him. And I don't know why."

Millie nodded and said.

"I remember feeling the same way," she replied and moved her arm across her daughter's shoulder. "When I found out about your father's ability to jump, I didn't know where we stood either. I was scared. I was scared of what he could do. I didn't know where we stood or if we could continue on. But I was more scared of losing him. I missed him and wished I never broke up with him. It took a while, but I managed to figure it all out. I found out that I loved him and that I would rather be with him than live a life without him." She kissed Cent on the cheek. "Don't worry, baby. It will pass. I see the way you two are with each other. You will figure it all out. Just trust your heart and let your emotions guide you."

With that, Millie got up and left the room, closing the door on her way out.

Cent laid on the bed, trying to go to sleep.

All she could think about was John. She couldn't get tonight out of her head and was trying to make sense of a lot of things. But it always seemed to make things more complicated.

But Cent knew one thing for certain. She needed to know what to do. She needed to know where her feelings were. She needed to prepare herself for this coming Friday. For the moment of truth.

About an hour later, Cent fell alseep. Dreaming of John once again.

* * *

**Turning point. I know. But I have something planned for chapter thirteen. I hope that it will be enough to forgive this chapter, but this is a bridge to something that I think a lot of you want to see happen. So don't worry.**

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Get ready for chapter thirteen. And please review.**


	13. Feelings

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent and John struggle over their emotions for each other. Cent and John meet up again after four days without each other. Are their feelings for each other just feelings? Or something more?**

**Get ready for love to take its course on these two young Jumpers.**

**Enjoy chapter thirteen.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen:**

**Feelings**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent was at the lunch table with her friends, Ashley, Emily, and Rachel. She barely noticed their conversations while she stared off into space. Her mind was spinning at the moment.

It was Friday. The day that Cent had been waiting for. A day that seemed to take an entire lifetime to get to.

Every since that dreadful Monday night, Cent never felt the same again. She found herself crying in the middle of the night. She barely found the strength to get up in the morning for school. She didn't notice the conversations that her parents or even her friends had. Even her face had proof of depression. Her eyes were, sometimes, red. Her face looked dark.

But that wasn't the worst part.

John was in her head. Even in her dreams, she could see him. He was all she ever thought about. Her heart ached for him. She wanted him. But she couldn't face him till the night of the dance.

Many ideas ran through her mind. She imagined what his answer was to their relationship. She could imagine him saying no or yes. But she didn't know for sure which one was true. It was making her go crazy about it.

Suddenly, a hand waved in her face.

"Earth to Cent!" Ashley giggled.

Cent blinked and fell back into her chair again.

She rubbed her eyes and said, "Sorry, sorry. I was lost in space again."

Ashley, Emily, and Rachel both raised their eyebrows.

"Okay," Emily spoke up. "What is going on with you? Ever since Tuesday, you have been acting strange."

All eyes were completely focused on Cent now.

Barely speaking, Cent said, "I... I... I've been asked out to the dance by John Bale?"

All eyes widened with shock.

"Come again?" Ashley's mouth dropped.

"Did you just say _John Bale_?" Emily looked like she was about to jump out of her seat.

"As in _the _John Bale?" Rachel was the only one who looked more in control of herself at the moment.

Cent stared down and nodded.

"Yes," she replied.

"And?" Ashley was begging for more info.

Cent drew in a breath and exhaled.

"Nothing," she looked back up at them. "Just a little worried and stressed out."

"Well, stop worrying and start kissing," Ashley joked. "You should be excited."

_Yeah, _she thought to herself. _If I only knew how he felt. If I only knew what was going to happen to our relationship._ She felt like expressing her thoughts out to her friends, but she knew that it would make things more worse.

Emily's eyes widened and started bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Guess what?!" she squealed. "James finally asked me out to prom yesterday!"

Ashley and Rachel squealed with her and did high-fives.

"Robert finally got the nerve to ask me three days ago," Rachel smiled.

Both Ashley and Emily rolled their eyes.

"We know," Emily complained. "You told us yesterday."

"For the millionth time," Ashley added. She then smiled and said, "But then again, I love to brag. Michael and I are going as well. I cannot wait to see if I can hit _second base _with him tonight."

Both Emily and Rachel let out cheers and laughs.

Cent didn't tune into their conversation and continued to stare off into space. Right at the empty table where John used to sit. She couldn't stand the thought of it being empty. It was just like what her heart was feeling at the moment.

The rest of her day was going to be like hell and she knew it.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John laid in his bed. Covered up by blankets. He stared at the wall, not moving an inch.

He had been like this for several days now. Since Tuesday morning, all he did was stay in his house. He barely ate and barely slept. He just stayed awake and stared off into space.

Cent was on his mind for the entire time. Everything time he managed to think about something else, she always came back. It was like he she was completely imprinted on to his mind.

But the main reason he was so depressed was that he regretted not revealing his true feelings to Cent when he had the chance.

Back when they were in Washington, John wanted to reveal his feelings when Cent went into detail about their relationship. He felt his emotions taking over and yet, didn't listen to them. It was tearing him apart.

A lot of questions were rushing through John's mind. He was trying to make sense of all of this. But it was all to hard to sort out.

One thing was for certain. John knew he didn't want to lose Cent. He didn't want to live life without her. Cent was now part of his life in ways that he didn't even understand.

John groaned as he forced himself off the bed and walk into the bathroom. Stripping off his boxers, he hopped into the shower and stayed under the hot water till went cold. After dressing into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, he sat on the bed again, with his head in his hands.

_What do I do? _he kept asking himself. _What am I feeling? _

Suddenly, something clicked inside John.

He looked straight up and his eyes widened. He knew what he was feeling and why he was feeling it. It made himself feel stupid that he never noticed before.

John flew up from the bed and paced around the room, all excited.

_I'm going to need a tuxedo! _he told himself.

Without thinking, John jumped.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent arrived home from school. She appeared in her bedroom and dropped her backpack to the ground. She slowly lied on her bed and curled up into a ball. She began to cry again.

_Why do I feel like this? _she was asking herself. _It isn't like it's the end of the world._

Cent stared off into space and began to see John again. Looking so handsome and beautiful. Just the way she likes to see him. But the thoughts and imaginations only made things more sad for her.

_He's just a boy! _she yelled at herself. _Why does anything of this have to be so hard?!_

Just as she said those in her head, she was immediately regretting them. She knew that John wasn't just any boy. He was more. More to her. He was all she wanted. But she couldn't understand the feelings she was having. It was all one big giant puzzle.

"Honey?" Millie came into the room without knocking.

She saw Cent and gasped.

"What is the matter with you?" Millie raised both her eyebrows and sat down on the bed with her.

Cent sat up and said, "I don't know."

Millie frowned and said, "Come on. There has to be more than that. You know. You just don't realize it yet."

Cent smiled at her and took her hand.

"I'm just worried about tonight," she replied. "John and I are going to talk about our relationship." She began to sob again. "And I don't know if we are going to be together after this."

"Shhhh," Millie took Cent in her arms and rocked back and forth. "It's okay. Things will work out. They always do."

"But, how do you know?" Cent asked and sniffled. "I don't want to lose him. But I don't know why. I have these feelings and I can't understand why I do."

Millie smiled and said, "I think I know."

Cent pulled away and looker her in the eyes.

"What is it?" she asked, wanting to know.

Millie shook her head and replied, "Sorry sweetheart, but you need to figure that out yourself. This is something that has to be understood by you and you alone. John is going through the exact same thing too. So don't feel alone."

Cent nodded and smiled.

Millied smiled back and got up from the bed.

"So, have you picked out a dress for the prom?" she asked.

Cent shook her head.

"Didn't have time."

Millie's mouth dropped and said, "That is it! We are going shopping and that is final! I'm going to turn you into the most irresistible girl on the planet!"

Before Cent could protest, Millie grabbed ahold of her and yanked her off of the couch. And... they jumped.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John was either crazy or insane. Either way, he didn't care. All he knew was that he was going to take Cent to the prom and reveal his _true _feelings for her.

He showed up at the front door of the Rice house and stopped.

Looking at himself, he made sure that his tuxedo was clean and ready to go.

Finally, he rang the doorbell.

_Here we go! _he said to himself with excitement.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

After hours of shopping at different dress stores, Cent and Millie finally found the perfect dress.

"Coming on out of the bathroom!" Millie yelled. "I want to see you!"

Acting all shy, Cent emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a blue silk dress. She walked slowly, looking down towards the floor.

Millie gasped with pride and said, "You look beautiful. I cannot wait to show you off to John when he arrives."

Cent's small smile disappeared and she looked up at Millie.

"Mom?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Do you think me and John will stay together?"

Millie smiled and got up from the bed. She walked over to Cent and kissed her on the cheek.

"Honey," she stroked her hair. "I believe things will turn out great for you and John. I see the way you guys look at each other. There is no way that any of this is going to end badly."

Cent nodded and smiled.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"John!" Cent said out loud and jumped.

* * *

Appearing at the door, she opened it and her mouth dropped at the sight of John at her doorway.

He stood at the entrance with a black tuxedo and a pair of black shoes.

"Wow," Cent accidently said out loud.

John chuckled and looked himself over.

"Yeah, I thought I would go all out for this one," he said.

Then, without warning, John moved forward.

Cent didn't realize it either, but she was also moving forward too.

Both of their arms went around each other's waist and they kissed.

After a while, they pulled away, but still in each other's arms.

"I've missed you," John whispered and kissed her again.

Cent's heart skipped a beat as she heard the words. She couldn't believe what she just heard.

"You did?" she asked.

John nodded and put his forehead again hers.

"I've missed you too," Cent said and kissed him.

Suddenly, they came to realize that David and Millie were right behind them.

They turned around and smiled at them.

"You two look so beautiful together," Millie said with tears in her eyes.

"You two have fun," David replied and winked.

Both Cent and John smiled back.

"Well, we should be off," John said and took Cent's hand. "You ready?"

Cent smiled back at him and said, "Yes."

Just as they waved goodbye to David and Millie, and closed the door, both John and Millie jumped, hand in hand.

* * *

**Okay, sorry about this chapter being a little short. I meant for it to be bigger, but I'm not feeling it today. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be more into it.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it. Please review.**


	14. I'm In Love With You

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**The moment of truth. Cent and John go to the prom together. With a little dancing and romantic kiss, both of these two perfect lovers will finally reveal their true feelings. What will happen? Will they stay together? The moment you all have been waiting for is finally here.**

**Enjoy chapter fourteen.**

**A little message to my favorite reviewer and friend, _Marie King_: "You have earned this chapter. Thank you for being part of this since day one."**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen:**

**"I'm In Love With You"**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent and John arrived outside the school building. They walked to the steps and stopped.

Cent turned to face John and took his hand.

"You okay?" she asked, her heart rate beating faster.

John looked at her and smiled.

"Couldn't be better," he replied and tightened his grip on her hand. "I just hope you are ready."

Cent blushed and kissed him on the cheek.

"As long you are there with me, I'll always be ready."

They walked on into the back doors of the school and on down the hallway.

As they drew near the gym, they could hear the loud music of rock going on. A bright light flashed through the door of the gym, like it was keeping the darkness away from the entrance.

Cent leaned against John as they walked through the door. Her face was against his shoulder, feeling the warmth from him. She enjoyed every second of it, never wanting the moment to stop.

Just as they passed on through the door, the bright light devoured them and they came into view of the entire prom. People were dancing everywhere. Teachers were at very exit. Food and drinks were being served at the other end of the gym. Tables were set up around the sides of the gym, leaving the basketball court free for dancing. The stadium was being used for surround sound and music player.

John laughed as he looked around.

"Gotta hand it to the seniors," he yelled over the music and the rest of the people. "They sure do know how to throw a good party."

Cent smiled and said, "I know."

Cent studied the gym and noticed the beautiful wallpapers hanging from the ceiling. There was also a nice walk way for those who are trying to get in and out of the gym. She could tell that the teachers were giving their best to make sure that the crowd doesn't interfere with the path.

Once they had started walking through large crowds to get to a table, Cent held on with all her might, not wanting to get separated from John. Her heart felt like it was going to break if they ever parted.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John was amazed by the nice the prom was. He definitely had to give the seniors some credit.

Just as they were nearing their table, John felt Cent's arm tightening around his. He could feel her fear. And he knew what it was.

Looking at her, John used his free hand and touched her on the cheek. She pressed her face into his hand, she seemed to be enjoying every second of it. Like she was wanting him to touch her.

"Don't worry," he said to her. "I will _never _leave her side. Never."

Cent's eyes widened with hope and excitement.

Then... she did the one thing that he never saw coming.

_She kissed him. _

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Once she heard him say the words. Cent's heart jumped. It was like he read her mind and told her what she wanted to hear... what she needed to hear. It was the same feeling she had been having around him. The same feeling that didn't go away.

Before she could realize what she was doing, she had her arms around John's neck, pulling him towards her. Their lips met and she kissed him softly at first.

John seemed surprised by the kiss, but he went along with it. His arms went around her waist, pulling her towards him.

Both of their bodies were pressing against each other. They could feel the warmth and the heartbeats from each other. Even their nerves were begging for more. It was like they were magnetics, trying to come together as one.

John kissed back, moving his left hand behind her neck.

Soon enough, their kiss became hard and full of passion.

A few heads looked towards them but turned away. It was nothing they haven't seen before.

Finally, their lips parted and they stared into each other's eyes for a while. It was like they were looking into each other's soul. Like they were seeing the real person within them.

Suddenly, Cent had this warm feeling inside her heart. It brought up a revelation to her that she had never considered before. One that her mother tried to tell her about, or at least tried to give her clues to. She finally understood where she was feeling this way about John. She was in lov...

"Oh My God!" came a voice that cut off her sentence.

_Uh oh! _Cent thought. Her face dropped and her stomach felt like it was twisting and turning. Even her head was spinning out of control.

Just as Cent and John parted from each other, Cent saw that all three of her friends, Ashley, Emily, and Rachel were standing before them, all shocked. Their mouths hang open and their eyes were the size of bowling balls.

Cent laughed, awkwardly, and waved.

"Hey... guys."

They acted like they didn't even hear her.

John started to laugh, he couldn't help it.

Cent growled and elbowed him in the rips, forcing him to stop.

Ashley was the first to recover.

"Um, could we steal you for a moment?" she smiled in an awkward way and chuckled a little.

Cent nodded and looked at John.

John smiled and kissed her once more. His hand on her cheek and the other around the top of her back.

Cent felt herself melting into a liquid force as he did. It made her smile, if that was possible during kissing anyway. But she enjoyed it. She enjoyed that he wasn't afraid to do something like this in public.

John pulled away and said, "I'll go save us a sit. Go have your girly talk with your girlfriends."

Cent laughed and grabbed him again, pulling him towards her. She gave him a quick kiss, a way of getting the last word, and pushed him away. She giggled as she did.

John smiled and laughed at the same time. He disappeared into the crowd.

Cent felt herself regretting that she let him go. She wanted to chase after him. Kiss him. Hold him. Anything but be away from him.

Controlling herself, Cent turned to face her friends again, who were still in shock from what they had witnessed.

Before Cent could speak, all three girls rushed forward at her.

"Girl talk!" Emily said with excitement. "Conversation best to be saved over by the corner of the gym!"

All three girls took her by the arms and began to lead her through the crowd and into a corner of the gym, where they got the best privacy they could ever get.

Cent could feel the excitement and the questions coming on.

_Here we go! _she braced herself.

"Three questions!" Ashley jumped up and down. "One, what the hell happened?!"

"Two!" Emily clapped her hands together and squealed. "How did it happen?!"

"And three!" Rachel was acting serious, despite the curiosity and girl look in her eyes. "Are you two _serious_?"

Cent giggled at them and took her time to answer.

The girls listened as Cent told them about her dates with John, she kept the parts again jumping and the locations of their dates under wraps. She even went into detail on how her and John were trying to figure things out in their relationship.

"Figure things out?!" Ashley said in disbelief. "In case you haven't noticed, but I think all of this has been figured out already. I mean... the way how you two kissed and looked at each other... Michael doesn't even look at me like that."

"Either does Robert," Rachel replied.

"Or James," Emily added.

"Let alone, kiss us like that," Ashley shook her head and look Cent in the eyes. "We know that there is something more to your relationship with John. We saw it in the cafeteria and now here. You guys have something _serious._"

Cent laughed and said, "Me and John just have feelings for each other. You know... high school crush and all of that."

Rachel's eyes widened.

"High school crush?" she chuckled. "Girl, we all have felt high school crushes before. And everybody knows that a crush is like looking at a cute puppy before he grows up. We saw what we saw back there... and I'm telling you, that what you two have is no crush. In fact, I say it more than just feelings too."

Suddenly, Cent knew what she was talking about. Then she remembered what she was thinking earlier before she and John were interrupted by her friends. It all came back in a flash.

Before Cent could respond, three guys appeared from the crowd.

Ashley, Rachel, and Emily saw them and ran for them.

"There's our girls," one boys said.

Cent figured it out that these three boys had to be James, Michael, and Robert, prom dates to Emily, Ashley, and Rachel. She was glad that their dates were here to steal them back for the dance.

"Sorry, Cent," said a laughing Ashley as her date, Michael, kissed her neck. "Girl's got needs. We'll talk again later."

"Or on Monday," Emily joked as James put his arm around her shoulders.

"Most likely Monday," Rachel kissed Robert.

Cent smiled as they disappeared into the crowd.

_Now, to find my date, _she walked into the crowd to find John.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John sat a empty table near the wall of the gym. He studied his surrounds, watching teenagers and other prom guest walk around, dancing, smiling, kissing their dates. He could smell the love in the air.

The one thing that John could never get over was looking over his shoulder. He was always on alert. He knew that Syndicate was everywhere. His every move was either life or death. He also knew that they were most likely covering the high school. It's what he would do.

Ever since his parents death, John never really relaxed a single day in his life. He never slept without being half awake. He never went out without taking in his surroundings. He studied everything and everyone. He never allowed himself to get close to anyone. That was... until he met Cent.

John felt something the every first time he saw Cent. It was like a spark within him. He couldn't control it. And for the very first time... he let down his guard. He allowed himself to relax and he felt a heavy weight being lifted off his shoulders. Cent made him feel... normal. Like a normal person again. It was like she was making him a better person. Showing him that there was a better life than being on the run. She made him feel at peace.

John always dreamt of a normal life. He could see himself on a private island, maybe a wife, and a couple of kids. Free from Syndicate. Free from being on the run. But he knew that his dream was a false hope. It could never come true.

He wanted it back so bad. His parents were all the family he had. Then... Travis Shaw killed them. Syndicate killed them. They took away his normal life and forced him to go on the run. It still amazes him that he survived all those years on his own.

Looking up, he saw Cent.

John smiled at her as she took her seat at the table.

They both remained eye-contact with each other and smiled.

"What are you looking at?" Cent giggled.

John couldn't help but just admire her laugh. He exhaled and said, "You. I can't help but notice how beautiful you look."

Cent blushed and looked towards the ground. She played with her hair and smiled again.

"You want some food?" John asked.

Cent looked up at him and said, "I'm actually starving."

John got up from his chair and walked around to where Cent was. He put out his hand towards her.

Cent chuckled and took it.

John helped Cent to her feet and together, they went to the food bar.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent couldn't believe that this was happening. It was all like something from a fairy tale story. Like Cinderella or Snow White or Sleeping Beauty.

Both her and John did nothing but sit at the table.

They talked and ate their food that they had gotten from the food bar.

John was having some chocolate cake and a hamburger, along with a Coke to help wash it down.

Cent was having a pizza and some ice scream, along with a Coke of her own too.

They both took turns giving each other a bite of their dessert. A few people couldn't help but turn to look them. It was like they admired their relationship. Something that no one has ever seen before.

Over the next few hours, John and Cent talked. They discussed a lot of things about each other.

Cent loved that John was such a good listener. He seemed so interested in everything she had to say. In fact, she was doing ninety percent of the talking.

Finally, both her and John realized that things were beginning to die down a little. People were leaving. The music went from rock & roll to soft, gentle music. A little something for couples who like to take things slow. There were a few people on the dance floor now.

John looked at Cent and said, "You know what? We haven't danced yet."

Cent's heart began to race. She knew that this was the moment that she was waiting for. The moment of truth. She held the tears at bay. She was planning on saving them for later.

Cent had a lot of ideas on how this was going to go down. She was almost sure that John was going to break up with her or something. She figured there was a reason that he had suggested to wait till tonight. He either had feelings for her or not. He would have expressed them when he had the chance in Washington or when he came to pick her up at her house. The pain was coming and it did not feel good.

Cent smiled at him and said, "You're right. _Shall we dance_?"

John laughed at her joke and got up. He came around the table and helped her escorted her out on to the dance floor.

They arrived at the middle and held hands. They stared into each other's eyes and smiled.

"Oh, John..." Cent couldn't finish her sentence and looked to the ground.

"What is it?" John asked, using the tip of his hand to lift her chin to face him.

Cent sighed and said, "I can't dance."

John laughed and leaned forward, towards her ear. He whispered, "Neither can I."

They both laughed.

John took her right arm and their fingers intertwined together. His other arm went around her back, pulling her towards his body.

Cent had her free arm on his elbow and held on tight. She exhaled and smiled.

They began to dance. In their own way at least.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John could feel his heart beating really fast. He was loving every moment of this. He wanted it to last forever. He loved being with Cent. He wanted to tell her how he felt. He wanted to make things more official for her. But he needed to know how she felt first.

They danced to the music, maybe in the wrong ways, but they danced the way they wanted to. Just nice and slow, nothing to hurry up on.

Finally, he spoke.

"Cent?" he stared into her eyes.

Cent stared back.

John could tell that she was feeling scared and emotionally sad at the same time. He could tell that she was trying to hold back tears, like she was expecting her and him to break up.

"Oh, John!" she pressed her face into his chest.

He could fear some of the tears now. They were beginning to surface. He felt bad for her.

"John, I know that we have agreed to say what we feel and I know it is time," she said softly. "I want you to be honest. Just be honest with me."

John nodded and pressed his face into her hair.

"I want to hear what you have to say. I need to hear how you feel about us. I promise to be honest. I just want to hear you first," he replied and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent looked up at him. She was shocked that he was actually letting her go first.

_At least he is a gentleman in these times too, _she told herself and smiled.

She spoke in a normal and calm voice.

"I _want_ us to be together," she let out her heart. "I want to see you everyday. I want to be able to kiss you every moment I get. I want to hold you. Comfort you. Be with you. I don't want us to be separated. I can't bear the thought of that. I have... _powerful _feelings for you, John. And I don't think I can ever overcome them."

Once done speaking, she buried her face into his chest again. She let out a few more tears.

Cent was regretting her choice of words at the end of her conversation. She didn't want to say feelings. She wanted to say something else. She wanted to say that she was... _in love with him. _But she knew that she was too late to tell him.

Bracing herself, she waited for his answer. Every second was like a bullet. It felt like she was being shot in the stomach.

Then... John said something that changed her life... forever.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John swallowed once Cent was done. He felt his heart jump and he could take it anymore. He allowed the tears to form.

Taking his time, he dance around a little bit more and stopped. He took Cent by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. His left hand touched her cheek and he gently stroked it.

Cent exhaled and smiled.

"Cent," he began, feeling the words get stuck in his throat. "I cannot tell you how much you mean to me. You make me feel normal when you are around me. I no longer have nightmares when you spend the night with me. I feel at peace with you. I cannot fully explain it, but... but..."

For the first time in a long time, John was at a lost of words. He knew what he wanted to say, but had trouble getting the words out. He knew how he felt about Cent and he now he knew how she felt about him.

Cent continued to look at him and she seemed shocked by his choice of words.

Finally, John found the will to speak again.

_"I'm in love with you,"_ he began to let the tears fall from his eyes. " I love you so much Cent. I cannot stand to be without you anymore. I spent the last four days in pain. I couldn't stop thinking about you. You are _the one_."

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Time stopped. The gym itself felt like it was going dark. The music was muted out. All she could hear was her own breathing and the loud heartbeat of her own heart.

The words rang in her ears for a couple of seconds. It felt like the world was beginning to spin.

Suddenly, Cent grabbed John by his tuxedo and yanked him towards her.

John was completely taken away by her actions.

She kissed him hard. Her arms went around his neck and she arched her body against his.

John moved his arms around her neck too and he kissed back.

Taking a minute to breath, Cent said, "I love you so much! You have no idea how much I wanted to tell you. I love you,_ John Bale_. No matter what, I will always love you. You are the one. We were both made for each other. I love you so much John."

With those words, they kissed again and they didn't stop.

Tonight was their night. They finally knew where they stood on their relationship. They were both in love with each other.

They continued to dance together. Cent rested her head on John's chest. John rested his chin on her shoulder. They danced to the gentle music and wished it could last forever. Because for the first time in their entire lives... they felt complete.

* * *

**Wow! That was harder than it looked! I hope you guys liked it. I thought it was romantic. Maybe I messed up on a few things, I don't know. But I still thought it was romantic. **

**The good news, Cent and John have finally expressed their love for each other. Now we get to see them more in romantic relationship now.**

**A special thanks to Marie King, who has been along for the ride, and has played a beautiful role in keeping me emotionally invested in this story. So, thank you Marie, you are one true friend.**

**Please review on how you liked the story.**


	15. Love Is In The Air

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Now that Cent and John have confessed their love for each other, what is next for them? John walks Cent home after the dance. Cent is more happy than ever. But... someone else is closing in on them. Someone who will do anything to get revenge.**

**Feel the excitement in this latest installment, chapter fifteen.**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen:**

**Love Is In the Air**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

The night was beautiful and the air was fresh. Everything was silent, despite the loud noise that the city of Los Angeles usually makes.

_Love is in the air._

Cent and John walked the sidewalk towards the Rice Residence. They didn't jump or even catch a cap. They were in no need to be in a hurry. They wanted to take their time.

The two lovers held hands. Fingers intertwined and the heat of from their bodies coming back and forth between them. Their shoulders were pressed against each other.

John made jokes and Cent laughed. She didn't care what he said, she enjoyed his voice. In fact, she couldn't take her eyes off of his lips. She wanted to kiss him more than anything.

It took them almost an hour to make it to her house, which she was dreading the moment they started walking up the small steps to the front door.

Once they arrived on Cent's block, John switched the conversation from his fancy jokes to something else.

John tightened his grip on her hand and said, "I had a wonderful night."

Cent smiled and looked at him.

"I had a wonderful night too," she kissed his cheek. "We should do this every night."

John smiled and replied, "Okay, how about we go to different dances all around the world. My treat. We can go every night and dance till our legs give out."

Cent laughed and punched him, playfully, on the shoulder.

"You are such a romantic," she giggled. "I guess I now know another reason I fell in love with you."

Suddenly, John stopped and pulled Cent towards him.

Cent's body came up against John's and she could feel his heart beat against hers.

John could feel her heart beat as well. It made him smile.

Cent could feel John's hands moving around her waist. She couldn't help but move her own around his neck.

They both began to breath slowly.

John titled his face and come forward.

Cent's breathing escalated and closed her eyes as her lips came into contact with John's.

The kiss was slow at first, but then it soon became fast.

Both Cent and John couldn't help but move their hands over the other. They wanted to be as close as they could possibly be. They wanted to feel everything about each other.

Cent found herself forgetting about everything around her. All she wanted was to focus everything on him and only him.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John was surprised by his own actions. He couldn't believe that he had actually gave into his own desires, right out in the open. He knew he was vulnerable. Cent was making him more human again. But the weirdest thing was... he couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But he didn't care. All he cared about was her and only her.

The one thing that John had to give up after his parents died was his knowledge of having a life. It was the only way to survive against Syndicate. During the process of learning to forget everything, he almost forgot how to live like a human. He kept the kindness and the love, but he forgot how to live in peace, how to relax and to not be afraid. In a way, he was forgetting to be human. And that scared him his whole life.

Until he met the most beautiful girl in the world. _Cent. _He couldn't imagine life without her anymore. He wanted to be with her everyday. He knew he was deeply in love with her. He even began to believe that she was... _the one_. Cent had helped him realize a life without harm or danger. A life where he could live in peace.

Both Cent and John kissed for a couple of minutes before parting, but keeping each other in their arms. They pressed their foreheads against each other.

"I love you," John said with all of his heart. He moved his hand on to her cheek.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent's eyes opened when she heard what he said. The words made her heart jump and her mind go spinning. Tears began to fall from her eyes.

Looking into his eyes, Cent said, "I love you too."

With that, they kissed again.

"I think I might explode into a blazing inferno," Cent chuckled and buried her face into John's chest.

John smiled and said, "Good thing I'm the fire extinguisher."

Cent laughed against his chest and looked back up at him.

"You won't leave me... right?" her voice broke up.

John frowned and said, "How can I leave you? I would die before I even considered the idea."

Cent pulled away a little bit and said, "But... what if Syndicate finds you? Or us? We would be compromised." Her face looked towards the ground.

Hey," John used the tip of his thumb to left her head back up. "No matter what, I am not going anywhere. I will always be with you. Even if I have to relocate, I will still come and see you. We do have the ability to go anywhere. So, distance is no problem. Sure, we would just have to limit our time together. But no matter what, I will never abandon you. Because I love you and you are the one. I would be a fool to let you slip between my figures."

Cent's eyes were pouring out tears.

Finally, she said, "John? Do me a huge favor."

John nodded and asked, "What can I do _my love_?"

Cent tightened her grip on his tuxedo and said, "Kiss me."

Without another word, John pulled her towards him and they kissed.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

They continued the walk back to Cent's house.

John was dreading the moment he would have to let her go. He didn't want to leave her side at all. He tightened his grip on her hand and didn't let go. He could feel her hand tightening on his also. He knew that she was feeling the exact same way too.

They walked in silence, waiting for the moment when they would arrive at the front door.

John's heart raced as they walked down the pathway towards the steps and on to the front door of the beautiful house. He could feel himself sweating as they reached the steps and finally in front of the door.

Both John and Cent turned towards each other and looked into their eyes.

Love, sadness, and happiness was inside both of their eyes.

Finally, Cent spoke up.

"Thank you," she smiled. "I really enjoyed this night. I never thought things would turn out the way they did."

John smiled back and said, "Me neither. For a minute, I thought everything was going to go downhill for us. But I'm happy that things went the opposite way of what we thought." He kissed her on the cheek. "I am so in love with you. I really am. I never thought that I could feel this way, but here we are."

Cent allowed a few tears to fall and replied, "I love you too. It all feels like something from Twilight, which I actually hate that series, but it really does feel that way."

"At least we're both equal in power," John joked.

Cent giggled.

"True," she said. "At least I don't happen to be another Bella. And the good news is that all of this is real. I can't take all of that fantasy nonsense. It ruins the old legends of the old monsters and all of that. I prefer the evil beasts."

John chuckled and leaned forward. He kissed her on the lips and pulled away.

Cent growled and waved her index finger back and forth.

"Not so fast," she teased. "I wasn't finished yet."

John rushed forward and kissed her hard on the mouth. He pushed her against the wall and held on tight to her body.

Cent didn't care. She followed his every move and kissed back. She also began to moan as she felt his lips moving from her lips to her neck. She had her hands in his hair at once, pulling him more closer to her.

After five minutes of exploring each other, they parted.

"Goodnight," John said softly and began to walk down the steps, backwards.

"Goodnight," Cent replied back.

As much as John wanted to come inside, he knew better. He ignored his heart and turned away from her.

He jump right back to his apartment and fell against the couch. He was asleep in seconds.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Just as Cent entered the front door and silently closed it, she noticed light from the kitchen. She walked to the entrance and saw Millie at the table. She was in her robe and drinking coffee.

"Hey, mom," Cent smiled and walked forward.

Millie looked up and smiled right back. Her eyes looked tired.

"Hey, sweetheart," Millie replied and smiled. "How was the prom?"

Cent took her seat at the table and said, "It was amazing! Me and John danced and had a wonderful time together."

Millie raised an eyebrow and asked, "So, that must mean that you and him are officially a couple now, huh? I guess we will be seeing more of him around."

Cent smiled and placed her hand on top of Millie's.

"I'm in love with him," Cent blurted out.

Millie's eyes widened and her face went white.

"Come again, what?" she barely asked.

"I'm in love with him," Cent repeated. "John and I expressed our love at the prom tonight. I know that my feelings for him are true. And I know he was telling the truth about how he felt about me as well. I know it is true, mom. Nothing can change it now." She paused. "John and I will be seeing each other more often now. Maybe more than you and dad will be use to. I'm sorry if this makes you guys uncomfortable but I can't stop thinking about him. I find myself dreaming about him at night. I keep seeing him at the corners of my eyes. Not to mention the kisses that I receive from him make me feel stunned and beautiful. I love the way I feel around him."

Millie had tears of joy running down her cheeks.

"Honey," Millie said in a soft voice. "You have nothing to worry about with me and your father. I'm proud of you for recognizing your love for John. And I'm extremely happy that John feels the same too. It reminds me of David and I. The whole young love thing never gets old."

Cent smiled back and said, "Thanks mom. It really makes things more easier."

Millie winked and said, "Oh don't worry. You and John will be getting to the _good part _of this relationship real soon. That is when things become more easier for you. Trust me, it is inevitable."

Cent's mouth dropped.

"Ew!" she nearly squealed. "Mom, what kind of mind do you have?!"

Millie laughed and got up from the table.

"Lets go to bed," she ordered. "We can use the rest."

With that, Cent went to bed and fell asleep like a baby. She dreamt of John in a whole new way that very night.

* * *

Three days passed since the prom.

Cent was back in school on Monday morning, enjoying her day. In fact, her friends were the first to take notice of this.

During lunch, Ashley was the first to ask.

"Okay, what has happened to you?"

"Yeah, what is going on with _our Cent_?" Emily teased.

Cent laughed as she ate her chicken sandwich and said, "Just that I happen to be _in love_."

Ashley's, Emily's, and Rachel's mouths dropped.

"Say what?" Rachel was in shock.

"I am in love," Cent blurted out. "With John I mean."

Emily started bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Sweet!" she nearly yelled. "You have got to tell us everything!"

"Like for example," Ashley cuts in. "Did you guys do... _it_."

Cent frowned and answered, "No! Me and John haven't arrived at that part yet."

Ashley looked disappointed by her answer.

"At least you have finally found a boyfriend," Rachel said, finally coming out of the shocked state she was in.

Everyone laughed.

Cent and her friends continued the conversation through the entire lunch period.

* * *

Just as the final bell rang, Cent was out and in the hallway. She put her stuff in her locker and began to walked towards the back doors of the high school.

Cent was excited to see John again. They were to meet up at his place and hang out. And the good news was that she had no homework and her parents knew she would be out late till eight o'clock. Things were going very well for her and John now. It seemed like nothing could get in the way now.

Unfortunately, life is never that simple. And also... never that fair.

Just as Cent rushed out of the back doors and halfway down the steps, she heard a voice from behind her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," said a gentle voice.

Cent stopped and turned around. She saw a man, leaning against the concrete wall of the school. He wore a black suit and a pair of sunglasses, like the ones from the spy movies. He wore some fancy shoes too.

Cent smiled, being polite, and asked, "Yes? How can I help you?"

The man walked towards her and pulled out a badge from his pocket.

"FBI," he said in a way that made himself look like a gentleman. "I was hoping to ask you a few questions. They happen to concern a certain student who used to come to this school." He removed the sunglasses. "Just some questions about John Bale."

Cent's smile disappeared as she hear John's name. But she was also taken away by the man's eyes. Despite that he looked handsome and had a beautiful voice, his eyes were filled with a gray color and they also seemed to be filled with... _evil._

Cent caught herself from staring and shook her head.

"Sorry, but who are you again?" she asked.

The man stretched out his hand and said, "FBI, ma'am. My name is Travis Shaw."

* * *

**Uh oh! Main villain is on to John and Cent. Things are definitely taking a little turn for some disaster. **

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.**

**Sorry for the wait, I needed a break from all of this. I'll try to post another chapter again.**

**Please review.**


	16. Enemy

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Cent faces Travis Shaw for the first time. Does Travis know more about her than he lets on? Or is he just trying to use her to get close to John? Also, John makes homemade lasagna for their next date.**

**Nothing like a little love and evil to add to the mix. Say hello to chapter sixteen.**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen:**

**Enemy**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

The world felt like it had stopped. Even the air itself felt dead. Time seemed to stand still.

Cent couldn't believe that she was staring into the eyes of Travis Shaw himself, staring into the eyes of her own _enemy._ She heard so much about him from John. That he was the one who killed his parents and forced him to go on the run for the rest of his life. She also knew that he was part of Syndicate. One of the people who were sent to capture people like her.

_What do I do? _Cent asked herself.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" Travis showed a little bit of worry in his eyes.

_Good acting, _Cent acknowledged to herself. _Make sure to study his eyes more._

Pretending to be shy, Cent shook her head and giggled a little bit. She was planning the _"flirt girl"_ with him. She pushed her hair back with her right hand, exposing her neck a little bit.

Cent giggled some more and looked towards the ground.

"Sorry," she said in a awkward way, "I've... never spoken to a real life agent before."

Travis smiled and came closer towards her.

Cent's body began to shake a little as he approached her. Her nerves and mind begged her to jump, but something else told her to wait. Some part of her figured that if he knew she was a Jumper, then he would captured her by now. Thinking that she was still conscious, Travis must not know about her or her family.

Suddenly, Cent's eyes widened. She figured out why was approaching her.

_He wants to use me to get to John!_

Anger rose inside her. She wanted to yell and threaten Travis. She also wanted to kill him.

Controlling herself, she asked, "So, what can I do for you, _Mr. FBI?_"

Travis raised an eyebrow, taking the bait of her shy, flirting, girlish personality. He studied her over and smiled to himself.

_Yuck! _Cent screamed inside her head. _This guy is a complete womanizer!_

Travis seemed to take control of himself as he took out his notebook and pen. He knew how to play the role of a FBI agent really well. At least she would give him that.

Travis coughed and said, "The FBI is looking for a teenager named John Bale." He reached into his right pocket and pulled out a picture of John, who was perhaps six at the time.

Cent couldn't help but smile a little bit. She loved looking at pictures that have John as a kid. She thought he looked so cute.

Travis went on.

"He's been missing for a couple of years. It was believed that his parents were involved with very powerful figures that the FBI has been investigating. John's parents were killed for unknown reasons and the whole murder has been covered up. We can't find any leads to help with the investigation or with the murder of John's parents. John Bale is the only lead we have."

Cent looked from the picture to his eyes.

"I don't get it," she said. "How does John's parents have to do with anything you guys are doing? And how does John fit into all of this?"

Travis smiled and put the picture back into his pocket.

"John's parents might have been murdered by the people we are investigating and John is the only witness. Over the years, John was been on the run. He has managed to evade us and those who killed his parents. John is the only proof to all of this. He is in distress and scared. The FBI only wants to help him. He can end all of this, if we can convince him to come to trial about what he saw years before."

Cent forced a few fake tears out and said, "But... how can I help you?"

Travis put a hand on Cent's shoulder.

It took all of Cent's will to not react to his touch. She could feel her skin crawl. Her blood boiling hot from the anger. But she somehow managed to control herself.

"I understand that you were at the prom with John last Friday," he said.

Cent's eyes widened even more.

_He knows about me and John? _her mind went wild. _But... how?_

Cent played along and nodded.

"Yes," she said. "But it wasn't anything serious. He was just taking me as a friend. I never saw him again after that Friday night. He just left."

Travis hesitated. His jaw tightened. His eyes had changed suddenly. The anger and the evil could be seen so easily. It seemed to spread like a wildfire.

Cent noticed it and she realized that he knew she was lying.

Travis recovered and nodded, pretending to be satisfied with her answer. He reached into his pocket again and pulled out a _FBI _card. It had a phone number on it. He put it in her hand and backed away.

"Thank you for your time," he said and walked down the stairs. He disappeared around the corner.

Cent felt a huge relief on inside her. It was like a heavy weight being lifted off her shoulders. She wanted Travis as far away from her as he possibly could go.

_Thank god that is over, _she said to herself. _Better meet up with John._

Walking into the alleyway that she always uses, she jumped.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

The beeper on the stove went off. It echoed through the hallway as John came running into the kitchen. He turned it off and grabbed a wash-clothe as he opened the oven door with his other hand. He reached in and took out the lasagna that had been sitting in there for almost two hours straight. He sat the lasagna on another wash-clothe for support and went to the shelf.

John's heart raced. He couldn't wait to present this dinner to Cent. He had it all planned out. They were going to have a special date at his place for once. An _old _fashion dinner.

Within minutes, John had the dining room all set up for him and Cent. He had some wine out, along with two glasses. Two large plates, with some lasagna on each, were set up on two ends of the small squared table. Two candles were lit at the center of the table. It was one perfect dinner.

John went back to his bedroom and changed into a nice pair of clothes. He threw on a short-sleeve button shirt and a pair of trousers. He even put on some cologne.

Then, John heard the most wonderful voice.

"John?" Cent's worried voice traveled across the hallway.

John smiled and called back, "In here. I'll be right out."

Before he could reach the doorway of his bedroom, he ran right into Cent. Literally.

They both collided, but not to hard.

Cent then hugged him hard and buried her face into his chest.

John hugged back and laughed.

"Well, I got to say that I really enjoy this," he kissed the top of her head.

Cent smiled and looked up at him.

John saw something in her eyes and became worried.

"Cent?" he put his hands on her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Cent smiled and chuckled.

"Nothing," she said. "I'm just so happy to see you."

John knew that she wasn't being fully truthful. The second part may have been true, but he knew that something was wrong. She was just not trying to worry him.

John decided to let it go and smiled at her.

"I'm _really _happy to see you too," he moved forward and pressed his lips against hers.

Cent didn't hesitate to kiss back.

The kiss went from soft to hard in a couple of seconds. John's hands traveled down to Cent's hips. Cent's arms went around John's back, her fingernails digging into his shirt to pull him towards her. Their bodies were pressed against each other, completely filling in the gap between them.

After a few minutes, they pulled back and kept their arms on each other.

"We should get to that delicious lasagna, that is laying on the table in the dining room," Cent playfully smiled.

John raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh, so you can smell, hm."

Cent giggled and moved her nose close to John's neck. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She smiled and opened her eyes again.

"I can smell Axe on your shirt," she teased. "Red?"

John nodded and gave her a quick kiss.

"You really do have super-smell," John pressed his forehead against hers.

Cent laughed and said, "Or, I just see the Axe can from your bathroom."

John chuckled and began pull her towards the dining room.

"Come on, Spider-Woman," he teased. "The food is getting cold."

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent had always known John to be a romantic. But she never thought he was this romantic.

The moment she saw the dining room, she nearly fell to her knees. She loved what John did. The lasagna smelt so good. The candles were perfect. And a little wine to go along with this special moment too.

"Oh, John!" she exclaimed and pressed her right hand against her chest. She could feel her heart beating at a thousand miles an hour. "This is so wonderful."

John came from behind and moved his arms around her stomach. He kissed her neck and said, "_You _are wonderful."

Cent giggled and turned around to face him.

John kept his arms around her as came face to face with him.

She moved her arms around his neck and kissed him, softly.

"You know," Cent kissed him again, "despite that I'm turning eighteen tomorrow, the drinking age is still twenty-one."

John nodded and said, "True." He gave her a quick kiss. "But then again, there are no grown ups or police around. Besides... we aren't going to get drunk. It will only be a small little bit of red wine."

"Red, hum?" she kissed him on the lips once more. "I love red. It's actually my favorite color."

"I know," he replied. "That is why I got that color of wine. And _this_... is actually your early birthday gift."

Cent's eyes widened and looked up at him.

"What?" Cent was shocked by what she had just heard.

John smiled and said, "We're having our own birthday party tonight, so that your parents can get all of tomorrow with you."

Cent formed a huge smile and jumped up and down, which was almost impossible with John holding her.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she screamed and kissed him hard. "_I love you!_"

John laughed and led her to the closest seat.

"I love you too," he pulled the chair out for her.

Cent sat down and allowed John to push her in. She loved how strong he could be, but yet, also so gentle and kind.

Once John sat down in his own seat, Cent spoke.

"Are you for real?" she giggled.

John smiled at her joke and said, "Last time I checked... yeah."

"You are such a gentleman," she allowed a tear to fall from her eye. "You always make me feel so special."

"You _are_ special!" John quickly corrected her. "In my eyes, I see a beautiful, perfect, special woman. The love of my life. I don't know how I survived without you. But I'm glad you are here, with me, right now."

Cent had a lot more tears coming now.

"Spot it!" she giggled and cried at the same time. "You're making me cry tears of joy."

"Can't help it," he leaned forward and spread out his hands towards her. "I'm in love with you. I am in love with you so much that I think my love for cooking has abandoned my hobby for you."

Cent didn't hesitate to reach out and take both of his hands. She tightened her grip on them and didn't dare let go.

"I love you so much," she managed to let out in between her crying. "Funny how we met only two and a half weeks ago and now look at us. Two madly in love teenagers. So classical. Just like a fairytale."

"But this is real," John said. "Our love is real. Nothing can prove us otherwise. _Nothing_."

With that, they both leaned up in their seats and kissed each other. They somehow managed to not get burned by the candles.

After a three or five minute kiss, they got straight to dinner.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

After dinner, John and Cent moved out to the living room and sat on the couch. They brought the bottle of red wine with them and tried to decide what movie they were going to watch.

"How about..." John searched through the movies that were piled up on the couch. "The Notebook?"

Cent smiled and said, "Seen it too many times. I love it, but I'm thinking of something I haven't seen in a long time."

John moved on to the next one.

"Pride and Prejudice?"

"No."

"Terminator 2?"

Cent giggled and said, "Nice try, buddy, but no."

"Titanic?"

Cent's eyes widened and she immediately grabbed the Blu-ray movie from him.

"Yes!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Yes! Yes! Of absolutely, yeeeesssss!"

John laughed and snatched the movie from Cent's hands. He put the disk in and poured himself and Cent a small cup of wine.

"I love breaking the rules," Cent took a small drink.

John smiled and drank his whole.

Cent punched him on the shoulder and said, "You cheater!"

John half-smiled and shrugged.

"Isn't a race!" he teased.

Cent's face tightened as she sat her glass down on the small, glass table.

"That's it!" she teased him right back. "No more kisses for you!"

John raised an eyebrow and said, "You wanna bet?"

"You're a guy!" Cent shot back at him. "You can't live without kissing your girlfriend."

"We'll see," John turned his attention towards the TV as the movie began.

Cent scoffed and moved towards John, pressed her head against his chest. She laid on the couch, snuggling right up against John.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," John whispered back and kissed her on the forehead.

They both remained quiet as they watched the movie, both comfortable right next to each other.

* * *

**Don't you just love seeing the power of love when evil comes along. It really proves that love always wins. But what does Travis Shaw have in plan for John and Cent? Will they be able to survive his wrath?**

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'll post another chapter as soon as I can.**

**Please review. I love to see how I did in your eyes.**


	17. Out Of Control

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**For once, we get to see things from the point of view from the main villain of the story. It's just a little mix up. I love getting behind the villains once and a while. Seeing the world as they see it.**

**Anyway, this whole chapter will focus on the main villain, Travis Shaw. I hope you enjoy.**

**Please review for chapter seventeen when you are done.**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen:**

**Out Of Control**

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Travis Shaw sat at the counter of the outdoor bar of the hotel that he was staying at. He changed from his fancy black tuxedo to a Caribbean t-shirt and black shorts. He also wore some sandals too.

After his little meeting with Cent Rice, Travis was not in such a good mood. He hated being lied to. Even by a girl. Cent's eyes told him everything he needed to know. Or at least he thought so. He now knows that John and her are together. Most likely girlfriend and boyfriend now. The whole _young love_ thing.

If there was anything that Travis hated, it was _love_. He truly hated it with all of his heart and soul, considering that he had soul anyway. He hated anything that had love in it.

The one thing that Travis always preferred was hatred. He loved being angry. Even if it was for no reason. But he always knew how to control it. He knew when to express it and when not to. He had ways of expressing it, even without yelling or losing control.

Hell, he was _out of control _now.

Travis had a dark history. His mother was drug addict. His father was a drunk, who always used him as a punching bag. After his mother died when he was sixteen, he learned how to become strong. He also learned some self-defense classes at his high school. Then, on his eighteen birthday, Travis killed his father. He did it out of vengeance for his mother, he knew that his father was the whole reason for her drug addiction. But he also did it for himself as well. That was when his whole love for hatred and violence began.

Travis did serve time for his father's death. But, within a year of his sentence, he was found by the organization known as Syndicate. They faked his death and took him in. He learned to become the most popular agent within their ranks. Not once had he ever lost a Jumper.

Until he met... _John Bale._

John was the one person that Travis wanted to kill so much. He was even considering it. He hated that John had gotten away from him so many times before. He knew that if his superiors found out, he would lose control of his own men. He kept the whole incident with John under wraps. He had his ways of keeping people quiet. Even his own men.

John Bale was more than just a threat to Travis. He was a worthy opponent. Someone that could match him. In a way, Travis enjoys the whole _catch me if you can _games. It was the most fun he had in years with a Jumper. He actually loved the idea that John was the only one who could ever escape him. It just made the thought of finally catching him so much more enjoyable.

Travis was having ideas on how to lure him out. He wanted to use Cent to his advantage. But he couldn't just go after just yet. He wanted to keep all of this under wraps. The organization doesn't take too kindly to their agents using civilians without their knowledge.

Travis drank down a cocktail and studied his surroundings. He searched around the bar for his target. Despite that he was wanting to search for John, he was on another mission for Syndicate. He was to look for a Jumper. A woman. Had blonde hair, blue eyes, and one amazing body. The organization had been watching her for days in Los Angeles. Travis was the first to take the job.

Travis knew that John was living here. He already had his men watching the school for him. This mission was his excuse for being in Los Angeles. An excuse to ensure his time to search for John.

Suddenly, Travis spotted the woman he was looking for her. She sat down a couple of seats from him, ordering just a beer for the night.

Travis studied her over and smiled at the results he was getting.

For a Jumper, he figured he had just gotten his lucky break. As much as he hated Jumpers, he figured he could take his time with this one. Maybe try to raise her spirits for a wonderful night.

Her name was Sarah Williams. A college girl at Los Angeles Tech University. Top girl in all of her classes, all thanks to her jumping ability. Syndicate had been studying this one was months. Now they knew for sure that she was a Jumper. And... they wanted her.

Smiling to himself, Travis moved down towards Sarah and took a seat right next to her. He ordered a beer for himself and didn't even bother to look at her.

Sarah finally took notice of Travis and frowned.

He could tell that she was wondering why he wasn't paying attention to her. It was all part of his plan of course.

Travis knew her type. He knew that she was an attention seeker. A girl who liked to get the attention of all of the guys.

"Hello," she spoke to him. "My name is Sarah."

Travis looked her and smiled.

Thinking of a name, he said, "John Bale." He couldn't help himself.

Sarah smiled and replied, "Well, _John Bale_, how is your evening tonight?"

Travis smiled back and said, "Pretty good."

Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"You seem a little... upset."

_Ya think?! _Travis wanted to yell at her.

"My girlfriend just dumped me," he lied right through his teeth, enjoying it. He let a small tear fall.

Sarah was drawn in by the tear. She moved closer to him and formed small tears of her own.

"Worst of it," he continued. "She did the whole break up over the phone. Told me that she was in love with this other guy. So much for love, right?" He took a drink of his beer.

Sarah let a tear fall from her cheek.

"I'm so sorry," she placed a hand on his kneecap. "I had boyfriends break up with me over the phone too. I guess love hurts for people like us."

Travis knew that this was cruel, but he was enjoying this. He loved lying and making people take the bait.

"Thanks," he drank the rest of his beer and pushed the empty bottle away from him, acting like a rock-bottom guy.

Without warning, he moved his hand over her bare leg and moved up towards her cutoffs.

Sarah enjoyed it and sighed.

Travis knew that he had her completely interested. He had just sold the deal.

"Are you up for some _action_? she teased. "We could go back to my place."

"Actually," he held up a hotel card. "I have a room here."

Sarah raised an eyebrow and got up from her chair.

_Oh boy! _Travis teased himself. _Someone is getting lucky tonight._

He got up with her and walked towards the entrance of the hotel.

"I hope you can keep up with me," Sarah said over her shoulder.

Travis formed his evil smile and replied, "Don't worry. I think I can keep up."

* * *

As much as Travis wanted to get laid, he knew he couldn't change the plan that he had already put in place with his men. He sure wished you could radio in for a delay till morning, or at least till after he had done his business with pretty little Sarah.

_You can't win them all, _told himself. _Besides, there is bound to be someone willing to replace Sarah._

By the time they had reached the elevator, Sarah was all over Travis once the doors had closed. She kissed him hard and tried to take off his shirt.

Travis pulled away and took out something from his pocket.

"Why are you stopping?" Sarah teased. "This is where the fun begins."

Travis held the small knife behind his back.

"I hate to say this Sarah," his eyes changed to being serious, "but I'm afraid this is where the fun ends."

Before Sarah could react, Travis brought the knife forward and cut her arm. He placed his other hand on her mouth and pressed his body against hers, forcing her to back up against the wall. She struggled for a little bit, tried to scream for help, and suddenly fell unconscious from the chemical. Travis held her body up.

Travis smiled and said, "I love it when they struggle."

A few minutes later, three men-in-black appeared at the entrance of the elevator and took Sarah's body away.

Travis watched as they disappeared into the hotel room across from him.

The whole procedure for all of this was easy. The security cameras would be wiped clean. The agents would find a way to smuggle person out of the hotel, unnoticed. It all worked out fine. No one will ever expect anything.

Not wanting to find out what happens next, Travis got back into the elevator and went back down to the bar, where he met his second chance at redemption for a lucky night.

Like he said, he was _out of control._

* * *

**How did you guys like this chapter? A little different from the others, I know. I just wanted to get a little point of view from the main villain.**

**Don't worry. We will get back to John and Cent in the next chapter.**

**Please review on how you thought on this nice change up.**


	18. Happy Birthday

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Okay, we finally come back to our to our two main characters. The last chapter was just a little preview for the main villain of the story. We will go into a few more point-of-views on him later on. But, for now, we will be focusing on Cent and John once again.**

**Cent's eighteenth birthday has arrived. Millie and David get Cent two surprising birthday gifts.**

**Well, enjoy chapter eighteen.**

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen:**

**Happy Birthday**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent sat in her class room, staring into space at the dark corner ahead of her. She knew what day it was. And she couldn't wait for the final bell to sound for the end of the day. Her heart pounded as she thought about what the rest of her eighteenth birthday had in store for her.

_Happy birthday! _Cent said to herself.

The one thing that Cent dreaded was that John was not going to be at her small birthday party. It wasn't his or her decision. It was Millie and David's. It was a simple rule that Cent and her parents went by. The main birthday was to be spent with her parents only. She was allowed to have a separate day where she could invite friends, which she had no intensions of doing anyway, knowing how crazy Ashley, Emily, and Rachel can be with _parties._

In fact, Cent didn't tell anyone about today being her birthday. Not even Ashley, Emily, or Rachel. She wanted to keep everything on the down-low. Cent didn't want to get too involved with the people around her. She was scared of being forced to movie again. With Syndicate, the government, and other enemies looking for them, it was only a matter of time before someone came knocking on their private world.

As much as Cent liked Seattle, she knew that she has grown to move Los Angeles even more. All thanks to John, that is. Los Angeles felt like home to her. She loved living here. She had friends, a nice school, and a _actual _boyfriend. Everything was perfect for once.

_Oh, John, _she begged for him. _I miss you already._

Suddenly, the school bell rang.

Without thinking straight, Cent was up and out of the class room. She nearly ran as she crossed the hallway, put her stuff in her locker, and headed out the back door. She ran down the steps and down towards the alley. Once out of sight, she jumped to her bedroom.

* * *

Cent didn't stop to take a breath as she walked into her bathroom.

For some reason, she felt like taking a shower. The whole excitement was making her go crazy.

Taking off her clothes, she stepped into the shower and pulled the curtains. She turned the knobs to full heat and relaxed against the hot water.

"Honey?" came Millie's voice.

"In the shower!" Cent called out.

Millie appeared at the doorway and said, "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

Cent smiled and popped her head out of the curtains to look at her mom.

"You do realize that you have already told me "_happy birthday" _like a thousand times, right?" she teased her.

Millie giggled and said, "And I am willing to say it a thousand times more. My _baby _is finally turning eighteen. All grown up now." A few tears appeared from her eyes. "I love you, Cent. Always remember that."

Cent smiled again.

"Thanks mom," she said. "I love you and dad too. I cannot wait to see what gift you have gotten me."

Millie lowered her eyes to the ground and asked, "You sure that only one gift is good enough? We could have at least gotten you four things."

Cent blushed and replies, "All I want is you and dad. That is what makes this a perfect birthday."

Somewhere deep down, Cent knew that only one thing was missing from this birthday moment.

_John._

Cent wanted him with her on this very day. Her mind was going crazy that he wasn't here. She wants him so bad. In fact, she might just kidnap him to make sure that he stays with her.

_Boy, am I in love! _she admitted to herself, which only made her smile more.

Millie raised an eyebrow, like as if she was reading her mind.

"By the way," she backed away from the door, "your father and I took the liberty to add one more gift for you."

Cent groaned and said, "I hate it when you two spend money on me. I'm not worth a million dollars you know."

Millie laughed and said, "Oh, don't worry. This gift didn't cost a thing. Besides, I think you may just forgive us."

With that said, Millie disappeared from the doorway and headed down stairs.

Cent rolled her eyes and went back to her shower.

* * *

Once dressing into a pair of blue jeans, a red blouse, pink bra, and blue underwear, Cent checked herself in the mirror and smiled at herself.

Cent loved to dress up for anything. She loved to look good. Even if it was just to herself. She loved to look... _sexy._

Satisfied with herself, Cent headed out the door and down the stairs.

Excitement rose inside her heart as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She could almost smell the cake from where she was. She couldn't wait to have a terrific time with her parents. To have an a wonderful birthday.

Arriving in the kitchen, she saw Millie and David lighting the eighteen candles on the nicely made chocolate cake. She smiled as she watched David use his hip to, playfully, bump into Millie's side. Millie giggled and bumped him back in return.

Finally, Cent said, "You two look like a couple of teenagers."

Millie and David looked up at her and smiled.

"We are teenagers," David teased. "At least at heart, we are."

Millie threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

David moved his arms around her waist and kissed her back.

Cent laughed and yelled, "Ew! Not on my birthday! Please, stop it!"

David and Millie parted, still laughing as they faced Cent again.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Cent frowned and asked, "Whose here at this hour?"

Millie smiled, playfully, at Cent and said, "That would be your first gift."

Then, without warning, Millie jumped.

Cent rolled her eyes and said, "If this is another Catwoman costume, then I'm setting this one on fire."

David laughed and said, "I think you may love your gift. No wait, I _know _you will love your gift."

Cent raised an eyebrow and said, "Come on! What on Earth can get me all excited for just one gift?"

Then... came a voice that made all life and time stand still.

Cent couldn't move as she heard the voice ring in her ear. It made her heart stop and her muscles disobey her every command. It was like someone was pressing pause on her and the world.

"Thank you for allowing me to come, Mrs. Rice," John said from a distance.

Millie blushed and said, "Please, call me Millie. And I'm happy you can join us. Cent will be excited that you are here."

Cent could hear them moving into the living room, just as Millie closed the front door.

For once in Cent's life, this was the one gift that her mother and father had caught her attention with. It was perhaps the greatest present ever.

Without thinking, Cent ran from the kitchen and into the living room. She stopped at the entrance and nearly fell to the ground.

Right in front of her was John and Millie. But her attention was focused on John only.

Cent's heart started to race and her blood was pumping like crazy. Not to mention that her mind was going haywire at the moment too.

Just as she stopped, Cent took off like a charging bull and ran into John's embrace. She hugged him hard and didn't let you.

Looking towards her mom from the hug, she mouthed something to her.

_Thank you! _

Millie winked and giggled a little bit.

Cent then buried her face into John's chest.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

At first, John didn't know what to think. He was shocked to get the call from Millie, earlier that day, that he was invited to the birthday party for Cent. It was like a dream come true for him. He couldn't wait to see Cent again. He loved her and wanted nothing more than to be with her.

But the one thing that really shocked him was that Cent had just hugged him with all of her might, like as if she didn't suspect to see him or something. In fact, he was thinking that she put Millie up to the idea to have him over for the party. Looks like he was wrong about that theory.

Just as Cent was in his arms, he couldn't hold back the hesitation to hug her with all of his might. He loved that she hugged back. He wanted to keep her in his arms forever. He loved her. Always have and always will.

Finally looking at her, he stroked her cheek and said, "Hey, beautiful. Happy birthday."

Cent smiled and then grabbed ahold of him by his shirt. She yanked him towards her.

John followed along and allowed his lips to meet hers. He kissed her right back and smiled at the same time.

For the next several minutes, they stayed that way.

Suddenly, a loud cough came from behind them.

Both John and Cent turned to see a embarrassed David, staring at them from the entrance of the living room.

"Uh, the wax from the candles is attacking the cake," he said.

"David!" Millie yelled in disbelief. "You don't just stop a love moment like that!"

David smiled and put his arms up in defense.

"Not my problem," he said back to her. "I just want some cake."

Millie rolled her eyes and looked over at Cent.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Cent said to everyone. "Let's have ourselves a nice cake."

With that said, everyone piled into the kitchen, right around the table with the chocolate cake.

John had to use all of his will to resist taking a little bit of frosting from the cake. It was a good thing that he had Cent to cover for him. Just holding her hand was enough to hold back the temptation.

He watched as Cent blew out the candles. He smiled and clapped his hands along with David and Millie.

Cent turned towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He hugged back and pressed his face into her shoulder.

"What did you wish for?" he asked.

Cent smiled and said, "That would be against the rules. But in this case, I'll tell you anyway."

She moved her lips to his and kissed him.

John kissed back.

When they parted, Cent said, "I wished for us to be together. _Forever_."

John smiled and said, "Forever is fine by me. I love you."

"I love you too," Cent kissed him again. "Thank you for being here. Everything is perfect now."

"You make my life perfect," John said right back. "You are _perfect_, Cent Mary Rice. And... _happy birthday._"

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent had a wonderful time as everyone ate the cake at the dinner table. She sat on John's lap, feeding each other some chocolate cake. They laughed as they shoved the cake into each other's mouths.

David and Millie did the same thing. Trying to compete against John and Cent.

It was a great day. Nothing could make Cent more happier than this. She had everything she needed. She had her parents and John by her side. There was nothing else to remember or need. She had _everything _she could possibly want.

Millie reached across the table and pulled a huge envelope from the side of the table. She handed it towards Cent.

Cent took it and said, "I wonder what you got me now."

Millie raised an eyebrow and put a arm around David's neck. She looked at him and kissed him.

When she looked back at Cent, she said, "Open and find out."

Without being asked twice, Cent opened the envelope and looked inside.

Her mouth dropped as she reached inside and took out a pair of car keys.

"Oh my god!" she nearly yelled. "Oh my god!" She was out of John's lap and running towards her mother and father. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She hugged both of them at the same time.

"Your welcome, sweetheart," Millie said against her cheek. "Me and your father thought it was time for you to start driving."

Cent backed away, looked at the car keys and said, "But... I don't have a license."

David got up from his seat and presented a driver's license to Cent.

"I took care of that from a couple of old friends," he smiled. "I figured we were living off the grid, illegally, so I thought that we should at least have some fun with breaking some other rules as well."

Cent hugged him and said, "You guys are the best!"

"You want to test drive your very first vehicle?" Millie asked.

Cent smiled and grabbed John's hand, yanking him out of his seat.

"Come on, loverboy," she teased. "I'm taking you for a ride."

She led him outside of the house and from the front door, she saw a red BMW, one of the racer designs. Her heart jumped as she saw it.

"Please drive safe," Millie said from behind her. "Don't worry about coming back late. Me and David will... _understand."_

Cent knew that her mother's words had double meaning. She turned to face her and smiled.

David seemed nerves by the last sentence and tried to say something to counter her.

Millie sensed his protest coming and elbowed him in the ribs.

David moaned and said, "Yeah, don't worry about it. Have a great time."

Cent ran forward and hugged them both again.

"I love you guys so much!" she said. "Thank you!"

Then, she turned around, grabbed John by his hand and dragged him towards her new car.

They both got in and put on their seatbelts.

Cent started up the car. She felt the engine come to life and loud music playing on the radio.

Then... she stepped on the gas pedal and took off away from the house and down the road.

Both Cent and John held hands, just enjoying the ride.

* * *

**I thought I would add a little "fast & furious" theme to this chapter. I thought it would be nice to see Cent get her own car and see her parents give her more freedom.**

**Anyway, the next chapter is going to be one sweet treat for all of you guys. Become Cent and John do something that we have all been waiting for.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Please review. :)**


	19. The Next Level - Part One

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Okay, sorry for the wait. I have been writing this other small story. Anyway, cannot wait for you to read chapter nineteen. I have something planned for Cent and John. Something that I think has been coming for a long while now. It might go directly into the next chapter.**

**Cent and John meet up after school and John gives her a birthday present. Unknown to them, someone is watching for a far distance.**

**Read, enjoy, and review on chapter nineteen.**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen:**

**The Next Level - Part One**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

The day after Cent's birthday, Cent couldn't wait for the school day to be over. She waited in her fourth period class, just counting every second that passed on the clock. She tapped her pencil against the wood of the desk. Her heart beat faster and faster as she felt the time getting closer to the school bell.

Another excitement was that there was only one more week of school left. By next Friday, Cent will have graduated the junior year and move on to her senior year. Also, she would also have the entire summer with John.

Plus, Cent couldn't wait to see John again.

They were planning on meeting up at his place after school. John was going to take her somewhere, which he said was secret for the time being. He said that it was her late birthday present. He told her about this last night, when they took her brand-new car for a test drive.

Cent could remember the night before, like as if it was a dream.

* * *

_Cent laid on the hood of the BMW. Staring up at the stars. Her hands were intertwined on her stomach. She smiled as she looked at the stars._

_John was right next to her. He also laid on the hood of the car. Both arms supporting his head as a pillow._

_John looked at Cent and started to stroke her hair._

_Cent smiled and popped herself on her side, supported by her elbow._

_They came toward each other and kissed._

_"I love you," John whispered._

_Cent smiled and said, "I love you too."_

_John's hand went behind her neck and pulled her towards him again._

_They kissed and made sure that this one lasted way longer than the last._

_"I love the way you kiss me," Cent said to him, her eyes closed. "You have the most gentlest hands and body."_

_John pressed his forehead against hers and said, "So do you. I love your touch and scent. Thank you for coming into my life."_

_Cent shook her head, opening her eyes, and said, "No, thank you for coming into my life. I would have died from boredom on my first day here in Los Angeles."_

_John chuckled and moved towards her._

_Cent fell back against the hood and watched as John got on top of her. Her hands gently pressed against John's chest, then she got a grip on his loose t-shirt, making sure that his body was against hers._

_John titled his head and came forward, kissing her again._

_"I wonder how many times we had kissed already," Cent said, playfully._

_John shrugged and replied, "Not enough, that's for sure."_

_Cent laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She stroked his hair and cheek, making way to his chest again._

_"Cent?" John stared into her eyes. "I have a present for you. But you must wait till tomorrow to know what it is."_

_Cent smiled and nodded._

_"I can wait, just as long you are there when I get this gift."_

_John laughed and said, "I love you so much. I never thought that a girl would fall for me. I'm so happy it was you."_

_"I'm happy it was me, too," Cent smiled. "I love you. Kiss me again."_

_With that, John kissed her again and didn't stop for a breath._

_Cent moved her arms around him and made sure he was completely on top of her, the way she loved it._

* * *

Cent smiled at the memory and couldn't help but replay that memory over and over again. She imagined John's body against hers. His warm, beautiful lips kissing her collarbone, her neck, and her lips. She even remembered his hands tracing over her body, the way she loved it.

A small giggle escaped Cent's mouth as she thought more about it.

But the memory wasn't enough for her to escape the clock. It was just making her look at it, making her excitement to see John again more powerful.

Taking out her notebook, Cent began to draw whatever she could think of. It wasn't until she started writing _Mrs. Cent Mary Bale_, that she had completely forgotten the reality of time. She wrote the same name all over the page that she had to start on a new one.

Suddenly heard the bell ring for class to be over.

In a flash, Cent quickly walked from her desk and out of the class room. She put her stuff into her locker and exited the school building as usual.

To her surprise, John was waiting in the back for her. He stood at the foot of the steps, looking across the street.

Cent's eyes widened at the sight of him and ran forward.

John turned and saw her too. He came forward and held out his hands.

From the top of the small steps, Cent jumped into his embrace and threw her arms around him, tightening her grip on him.

John spun her around like she was weightless and then sat her feet onto the ground.

They smiled at each other and came forward, heads titled.

They kissed for a long time and didn't stop.

Finally pulling apart, but still in each other's arms, they smiled again and hugged each other.

Cent pressed her face into his chest and laughed.

"I've missed you!" she suddenly said.

John laughed and said, "Same here. I was going crazy to see you again."

"That explains why you are here," Cent looked up at him. "Kiss me again."

John nodded and came forward, pressing his lips against hers.

Cent shivered at his powerful kiss and completely tightened her arms around him even more.

When they parted again, they closed their eyes and pressed their foreheads against each other.

"Lets get out of here," John said and began to led Cent towards the small alley.

When they were out of sight, they jumped.

But, they didn't notice that someone had been watching them the entire time.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Travis Shaw sat in his black Mercedes, completely covered by the tainted windows. He had been watching John for the entire time he was standing outside the high school building. Every fiber in his body wanted him to go after John so much. He held onto his gun, cocking it every few minutes or so. He was losing his nerves now.

Travis imagined himself shooting John in the head, watching the bullet shatter his skull and his brains. He could see and smell the blood on the ground. He was loving this imagined world inside his head.

But then, he imagined himself capturing John instead. Taking him to an unknown place and torturing him with anything he could think of. He see himself cutting off every inch of him or putting bullets from his feet all the way up to his head. He smiled at the very thought. He wanted to make John suffer before dying a gruesome death.

A lot of decisions and choices, but only one to make. He couldn't wait to finally make his decision.

Things were getting more dangerous for him now. His organization was getting suspicious of his behavior. He knew that he needed to end things with John now. Their little rivalry had finally reached a point to where people were starting to notice. If his organization found out that John had escaped him years before and is still doing that, they would demote him... or worse.

Shaw didn't care what his organization did to him. All he wanted was to finally end John. He had no intensions of bringing him back to the organization. John had humiliated him by escaping and continuing to evade him. He has now become his obsession. Travis saw John as a threat and his most deadly enemy. He believed that John needed to be eliminated.

But for some reason, John couldn't help by wait. He wanted to know why John was at the school. He knew that John would have relocated or stayed far away from the school, but yet... here he was.

It wasn't until he saw that girl from before that he completely understood.

He watched as the girl known as Cent Rice ran up to John and hugged him.

Travis smiled as he watched them kiss and hug each other.

_My, my, _Travis said to himself and towards John. _You had to run off and find yourself a pretty little thing to play with._

He continued to smile as he watched them jump away down some alley.

Suddenly, John broke into a laughter and didn't stop for a while.

"I always knew I would find your weakness, Bale!" Travis nearly yelled in his car. "Now I know what you care about. Don't worry, I have plans for little Ms. Rice."

Travis knew that he had his ace in the whole. He knew that he had John in a position. All he needed to do was get his hands on Cent and John would come to him.

_Easy as pie_, Travis joked to himself.

He started the car back up and drove off, disappearing into the traffic ahead.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John felt butterflies in his stomach as he jumped Cent to the location that he was saving to show her. He could wait to present his own birthday present to her. It was going to be big.

After a few seconds, he suddenly came to realize that Cent had her eyes closed to even notice where they were. Her face was buried into his chest, breathing in his scent.

"Uh, Cent," John laughed and put his hands on her shoulders. "You can open your eyes now."

Cent giggled and shook her head.

"Nope, I don't want to. I want to stay like this."

"But you won't be able to see your birthday present."

"I don't care," Cent giggled some more, not wanting to remove her face from his chest. "I just want you as a birthday present."

John laughed some more and said, "Alright, but at least listen to your surroundings. Now, what do you hear?"

Cent concentrated on her hearing and listened.

Their was waves not far from where they stood. The wind was soft and welcoming. Seagulls could also be heard from a long distance.

Cent moved her feet a little bit and suddenly realized that she was standing on sand.

"We're on a beach," Cent answered. "Someplace warm and very nice."

John smiled and stroked her hair.

"Go on," he whispered to her ear.

"Judging from the heat, we aren't in Los Angeles or Miami. And definitely not in Italy either." She listened some more but couldn't figure out where they were. "Okay, I give up, where are we?"

John laughed again and said, "You're going to have to open your eyes to figure that one out. In fact, opening your eyes will allow you to see your birthday present."

Cent groaned and finally forced herself to open her eyes. She took a look around and gasped. She looked across the beach and saw that they were somewhere in the Caribbean.

"We're on an island in the Caribbean," Cent said and pulled away from John, taking a few steps from him. "But I don't see my present. Where is it?"

John couldn't hold in the secret anymore. He wanted to tell her now.

"This _is _your present," John answered. "The entire island is yours. That also includes everything on it."

Cent turned towards him, eyes big and shocked.

"W-what?" she could barely speak.

John walked up towards her and said, "I'm giving you this island. I want you to have a place that you can escape to. A place that you can call _haven_. So that when people come looking for you, like the people who kidnapped your dad or Syndicate, then you can just jump here."

Cent had tears coming down her eyes as she looked at him.

John moved his arms around her and picked her up by the waist.

"Why?" Cent asked, awkwardly.

"Because I love you," John answered. "Because I don't want to lose you. I can't live if I lost you. I want to make sure that you have a way of getting out of danger."

Cent smiled and continued to cry some more.

"You spoil me too much," Cent said, while sniffling. "I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you."

John shook his head and said, "Wrong. You do deserve all of this. I'm rewarding you for loving me. I don't ever what to lose you. I fear the day that I do. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. You are innocent and beautiful. I just want to spend forever with you."

"I want to be with you forever too," Cent paused. "I love you. And you're wrong too. We both deserve each other. No matter who we are. Our love is what makes this relationship right."

"You are one smart girl," John suddenly came forward and kissed her.

Cent kissed back and said, "This is the best birthday present ever."

John looked at her and asked, "You want to go for a swim?"

Cent nodded and said, "The water looks welcoming. I cannot wait to see you in your swimming trunks."

John raised an eyebrow and replied, "And I cannot wait to see you in yours."

"Then, what are we standing around for?"

With that, John took her hand and began to lead her across the sand.

"Where are we going?" Cent was all curious as she stood by his side.

John smiled and said, "To the house that I had built here."

"But I didn't buy any swimming trunks!" Cent said.

"Don't worry," John reassured her. "I bought some for you and put them into the nice house. Trust me, you'll love the house that I built."

Cent didn't argue as she walked with him.

Just taking their time as they walked the sandy beach.

* * *

**Again, so sorry for the wait. I had writer's block for a while. But I think I got it under control now. :)**

**Anyway, I'm heading straight into chapter twenty now. I know that promised that John and Cent will be taking their relationship to the next level, but that is why there is a part two. So, just keep with me. **

**Please review and give your honest opinion. :)**


	20. The Next Level - Part Two

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Alright, John and Cent are enjoying the day while swimming in the ocean. Cent makes an important decision in her relationship with John. John gets worried about going too far with Cent. Both Cent and John finally take their relationship to the _next level_.**

**Chapter twenty is here and ready to go.**

**Wow! Can you believe that we had finally reached chapter twenty? I didn't think we could actually make it this far. Well, I hope to continue more chapters with this story. I do not wait it to end just yet. I really want to continue on.**

**A special thanks to "Marie King", who has proven to be a great friend, reader, and reviewer for my story. Thank you so much Marie! :)**

**Please read, enjoy, and review too.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty:**

**The Next Level - Part Two**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent couldn't believe it as she and John came around the beach. There was a beach house that looked like one of those fancy ones from the magazines. There was small deck that stretched over the water. There was also some slide doors too. Cent noticed the speed boat, along with a little mini-bar too.

Cent turned to look at John and was at a loss of words.

"How did you build this place?" she asked.

John chuckled and said, "Some of this stuff is actually stolen, but I was able to build it with tough luck. I first started just two years after my parent's deaths. I built the deck first and then the house later on. I meant this place to be a haven for me, but I rarely come to it anymore. It took me a total four years to complete this. The house was the hardest. It has an in-door hot tube, three bedrooms, a basement, a living room, a huge kitchen, and every bedroom has it's own bathroom. The basement is where the generators are, and don't worry, I made sure to sound proof the basement."

Cent's eyes raised, all impressed. She couldn't believe that he was giving all of this to her.

"You have been busy," she managed to say. "Is all of this really for me?"

John nodded and came right behind her, moving his arms around her. He kissed her neck.

Cent smiled and moved titled her head so that more of her skin was exposed.

"Yes, it is," John whispered to her ear. "All of it is. Just for you."

"This is a whole new definition of being spoiled," Cent said, still looking at the beach house. "By the way, I think we were going swimming. What happened to that idea?"

John laughed and took her hand.

"Come on," he led her towards the steps of the deck. "I'll give you a quick preview of the house and then I'll show you where your swimming trunks are."

John led her up the small wooden stairs and then towards the window slide doors. He opened them and allowed Cent to go on in first.

"Such a gentleman," Cent teased him and walked into the house.

Once Cent had walked into the living room, she was astounded by the sight of how big the house was. The living room was like the size of her cafeteria. Not to mention how far up the ceilings were.

John came in from behind her and closed the door.

Cent looked at him and smiled.

"I love it! Thank you so much for everything! You are the best boyfriend ever!"

John was embarrassed by the compliment and rubbed the back of his head. He smiled and stood where he was.

"No, I can think of a couple of guys who are better than me," John said.

Cent raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms on her chest, "Like who?"

John's eyes widened as he tried to come up with an answer.

"Like that Stiles guy from prom."

"He's a womanizer," Cent countered him. "He only went to the prom with that one girl, Lisa. She caught him with another girl in bathroom. He's no where near the man you are."

John tried to think of another one.

"George?"

Cent rolled her eyes and said, "He's a computer geek. He rarely leaves his laptop, trust me. Face it, you are the world's greatest boyfriend."

John smiled and said, "Alright, you win. I am. I admit it."

"And don't forget it, either," Cent came up and put her arms around his neck, kissing him on the lips.

John kissed back, setting his hands on her hips.

"I am so in love with you," John gently and slowly whispered. "I don't know if I can take it."

"I don't know if I can either," Cent said. "I love you too. Looks like we both are victims to true love."

John shook his head and gentle stroked her cheek.

"We're not victims. We are lucky. How many people get to experience something like this?"

"True," Cent rested her head against his chest and breathed in his scent.

_God, I love that smell!_ she said to herself.

"I guess I should show you where I put your swimming trunks," John replied and pulled away from her. "Come on."

Cent held onto his hand as she walked with him through the house.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John smiled as he heard Cent exclaiming in excitement at the house. So far, she was enjoying the sight of the hot tube that was surrounded by high windows, which had a great view of the ocean ahead.

"I love it here!" she yelled and hugged him.

John smiled and hugged her back. He enjoyed everything about her. From her scent to her voice, he enjoyed it. He didn't care how she looked, he only cared that she was _Cent. _ Nothing more.

"Lets go check out the bedroom," he said and led her along through the hallway towards the master bedroom.

Cent screamed with excitement and began to jump up and down.

John laughed at her and couldn't help himself watching her.

The bedroom was the size of a living room. Someone could yell and it would echo across the room.

The bed was actually a queen's size and had the softest sheets and pillows. There was a slide door to the outside, which led to the beach again. And there were a couple of cabinets too.

But the one thing that Cent couldn't help looking at was the closet, which was three times the size of an ordinary one. Inside were tons of clothes and some jewelry.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Cent hugged him and pressed her face against his chest.

John laughed again and hugged her back.

"I'll let you get into your swimming suit," he pulled away. "I'll be waiting for you out there."

"Alright," Cent replied and let go of his hand.

John chuckled as he walked out of the bedroom and slightly closed the door behind him.

Walking into the other bedroom, he grabbed a pair of swimming trunks out of the cabinet and stripped out his pants and shirt. He put on his red and black trunks.

Once done, he walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, allowing himself to fall onto the couch.

John knew that Cent would be a while. His mom once told him that some girls take their time with choosing their clothes. But he was okay with that. He was thought taking a little nap until she was done.

With that last thought, he fell right to sleep.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

_What to wear?! What to wear?! What to wear?!_

Cent was throwing clothes onto the floor as she searched for the perfect swimming suit.

Finally, she found one and got changed. She had trouble getting the swimming suit on as she hurried herself up. She didn't want to keep John waiting. Her mom once told her that boys hate waiting, especially when it involves clothes.

Once she in a nice, red bikini, she ran for the door and threw it open.

When she came to the living room, she saw John on the couch, sleeping.

She could help but watch him. He looked like an angel when he slept. She remembered that one night that they spent together. She loved watching him sleep. He looked so cute and adorable. She didn't want to end it.

But... she was in the mood for some swimming.

With a dash forward, she threw herself on John.

John came awake before she could even land on him and he jumped away, right on the other side of the living room. He was alert and ready to fight, but then he realized that it was Cent who tried to land on him. He started to laugh at her.

Cent crashed into the spot that John was at and was looking around the room for him. When she saw him laughing, she glared at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," John started to calm down. "I just thought it was funny that you tried to jump on me."

Cent got up and began to show herself off at him.

"You like it?" she asked.

John smiled and said, "I like it. It really makes you look... sexy."

Cent smiled back and said, "It better. I want to look sexy for you."

She walked up towards him and kissed his lips.

"You ready to go swimming?" she asked, putting her hands on John's bare chest.

John nodded and said, "Lets go."

Without thinking, they both ran to the slide door and opened it. Then they ran across the deck and threw themselves off the edge and into the warm, cool, salty water beyond them.

As they surfaced, Cent took his hand and they swam out a little ways.

For a long while, they forgot the time and just enjoyed the moment that they were having with each other. Time escaped their minds and no responsibilities go in the way of their precious time in the water.

As Cent swam with John, holding hands with him, she started to question something about their relationship. A serious question.

Cent knew that both her and John were in love. There was no doubt about that. They were meant to be together. John had proven his love for her many times before. And so did she.

So, what about their relationship? Was it time to take it to the next level? Was their relationship ready? Was John ready? Or her?

Just before they had retired back to the house again, Cent was thinking one thing and one thing only.

_I am ready._

* * *

**John:**

* * *

After a few hours of swimming, both John and Cent dried themselves off on the deck and got dressed again.

They sat on the couch together, talking and laughing at each other's jokes.

Cent had her legs curled up underneath her.

John was having a great time. He enjoyed the day that he and Cent were having.

He couldn't help but notice how she pushed her hair back. He thought she looked beautiful when she did that.

_God, I love her! _he said to himself and nearly said it out loud too.

"I had a great time," Cent said and placed a hand on his lap. "Thank you for this island and for the house. I cannot wait to tell my parents about it. They are going to flip when they find out that I have my own private island."

John chuckled and said, "I'm just happy that I could give up something."

"You give me _everything_," she said back at him. "I love you and that's what matters."

John looked at the time and saw that it was nearing nine in the afternoon.

The good news was that the time zone was different. So that meant that the time in Los Angeles was only seven.

"Do you think we should head back?" he asked.

Cent shook her head and said, "I want to stay here forever. I want to stay with _you_, right here forever."

John smiled and asked, "Okay, but what should we do for a little while longer. How about a movie? I have the notebook."

Cent smiled and said, "No, nothing like that. I was thinking we could try something else."

John frowned and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

Cent remained quiet and she slid her legs out from under her. She moved forward and placed her hands on his shirt, getting a strong grip on him. She titled her head and kissed him on the lips. She then pressed her body against his.

John went along with it and slid his arms around her, pulling her towards him. He kissed back.

They kissed for a while and didn't dare stop.

Suddenly, John felt Cent's hands trying to pull his shirt right off.

He stopped kissing her and opened his eyes.

Cent looked at him in confusion, worried she did something wrong.

John then knew now what she meant by _'something else'_. His heart raced and he felt himself shivering at the thought. It wasn't because he didn't want to do _it_ with her, it was that he was afraid of the decision that they would be making.

"Cent," he said in a slow, but gentle voice. "What are you doing?"

Cent pressed her forehead against his and said, "I want us to take our relationship to the next level."

John shook his head and said, "But, what about your parents?"

"My parents will get over it," she countered. "My mom and dad did it when they were at the very beginning of the relationship."

"But I'm not just talking about your parents," John touched her cheek. "I'm also talking about you. I'm afraid of this decision. In fact, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this."

"Why?" Cent fought back. "Why don't you want to do this with me? Is it because of my virtue? Because this whole thing is starting to sound a whole lot like Twilight right about now."

Both Cent and John laughed at her joke.

"No," John replied. "I'm not talking about that. Your virtue is yours alone. I'm not talking about that either."

"Then, what are you talking about?" Cent asked, all curious.

John swallowed and said, "Don't get me wrong, I've thought about it. I'm a guy, of course I have thought about it. The same goes with girls too."

Cent laughed and said, "True."

"The truth is, I've never done it before. I promised myself that was going to save myself for the _right_ girl. The right girl who will mean everything to me. I swore that I would do it right with that girl one day. I also promised that I would only do it with her when she was ready, when she knew for sure that she was ready. I know now that you are that one girl for me. I can never love anyone else ever again. You are my one and only girl. If I ever lost you, I will never love anyone else again. _Never again_."

Cent had tears running down her cheeks. She could hold back her tears any longer.

"The reason I am keeping myself from going over that line with you, is because I don't want to hurt you," he explained. "I'm not talking about physically. I can never hurt you that way. I'm talking about your soul and the consequences in this decision. If we do this and you weren't ready, I can never forgive myself if you had to live with the regret of not waiting till you were ready. And, if we did have sex and ended up breaking up, I could never forgive myself that you had given yourself over to me and never be able to share this moment with the next man in your life. It wouldn't be fair to him either." He paused and stroked Cent's cheek. "But, most importantly, if I were to die, you would have to live the rest of your life, knowing that I was dead. You would be having a hard time trying to move on with your next love. All because I made one choice that ruined everything for you. So, you see? I'm not thinking about me, I'm think about you. I don't want to make things hard for you."

Cent was sobbing even harder now. She lowered her head.

John wiped the tears away with his hand and lifted her chin, so she could look at him.

"I'm thinking of you, because I love you. Because I only want to do this when you are absolutely sure you are ready. I love you and I will always love you. You are the one and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Even if it gets me killed, I want to be with you. _Only you."_

Cent looked him in the eyes and saw the truth. He truly did love her, with all of his heart.

John continued on.

"I want to look you in your eyes and I want to see happiness. I want to see that we made the right decision, at the right time. I don't care how long I have to wait, I want to be able to see your eyes shine bright with happiness that I have waited for you and only you. That I was willing to save myself for you and that I was willing to wait till you were ready for this. I believe it is the look in your eyes that will only come once and I want to be able to see that look. It will be the greatest thing in my entire life to see. So, all I'm saying is this: _lets do this right."_

With that said and done, Cent came forward and hugged him tight. She sobbed some more and tightened her grip on him.

John smiled and hugged back.

"I love you," John whispered.

"I love you too," Cent whispered back.

When they came apart, Cent still had her arms around him.

He kept his arms around her too.

Cent calmed herself down and said, "John?"

"Yes?" John asked.

Cent took a deep breath and said, "I still believe I am ready for this. I _want _to do this with you. I love you and I've never felt this way before. I know you are the one too. Your words bring me happiness and tears of joy. I now know that you are the one. You are the only boy to ever resist his urges to give in. But I'm _asking_ you to give in to me. I want us to be one. I want to take our relationship to the next level. I can never love anyone else besides you. You are the only one I will allow myself to be with and the only one to marry. The decision that I have made is clear to me. I know what I want and I'm willing to take that risk with you. Just... please... _give in to me."_

John stared at her for a while and he could see the truth inside his eyes as well. He knew that she was telling the truth and that there was no second guesses or anything. She knew what she wanted.

Without warning, John came forward and pressed his lips against hers.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent couldn't believe that John was kissing her this way.

He was coming hard against her. His hands traveled all across her body, not stopping.

Their bodies clashed together and their arms went around each other, pulling one another hard against the other.

Pulling away for a small second, she said, "I love you, John."

"I love you too, Cent," John replied.

With that, they rose from the couch and kissed again.

Cent helped him out of his shirt and got to work on unbuttoning his pants.

Once John was standing in his boxers, he helped her with her shirt and her short-shorts.

Cent was standing there in her bra and underwear, allowing herself to be exposed to him. To her true love.

John slid his arms around her and picked her up, bringing their bodies together as one. He carried her from the living room and into the master bedroom. He sat her down on her feet and traced his hands down her sides.

They stopped kissing and stared at each other, with loving eyes.

Slowly and carefully, John moved his hands toward her back and undid her bra.

Cent allowed it to fall to the floor.

John bent down and began to take off her underwear, slowly.

Cent helped him and watched as it, too, fell to the floor. She stepped over it and pressed her body against John's.

Bending down, Cent pulled John's boxers free and watched as they fell against the floor.

Fully exposed to each other, they allowed their bodies to clash against each other again. They kissed and allowed their bodies to warm each other.

John picked her up again and carried her towards the bed.

They both fell against it and crawled under the covers together.

John kissed Cent's lips, collarbone, neck, and also her eyes.

"Make this night last," Cent whispered against his ear. "I love you and I want this night last as long as it can. I want all of you."

"I love you too," John replied. "Thank you for coming in my life. I now have something to live for. Thank you."

Cent shook her head and said, "No, thank you. You made my life meaningful again. We were meant for each other and tonight is the night that we finally become one together. Make love to me and please, make it last."

"Don't worry," John kissed her again. "I'll be very careful and I'll go as slow as I can. I want to make this last too. I love you."

They didn't talk anymore as they kissed again, allowing themselves to fall under the covers again.

Cent moved her legs around John's thighs and arched herself upward, completely filling the gap between her and John. She was happy when his arms moved around her, pulling her against him ever harder. They were finally one. Body against body. Two lovers in one union.

Cent's mouth fell open, without any noise and felt herself wanting more of John. So wanted to be as close to him as possible. She loved him and he loved her. That was the way it was. They wanted this and they knew they were ready.

It was time to go to the next level.

Through the rest of that peaceful night, both John and Cent made love for the very first time.

* * *

**Wow! That was the longest chapter I have ever wrote. I hope you guys like it. I think it is my best yet. There is a lot of emotion and love in this chapter.**

**Well, please review and I cannot wait to see you guys in the next chapter.**

**Again, a special thanks to Marie King. Thanks to you, this story was possible. I'm happy that we have come this far with this amazing story. Thank you for the amazing reviews. And sorry for the wait. :)**


	21. The Next Level - Part Three

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Okay, who loved that "love scene" from chapter twenty? **

**I really love this story. I think it is one of greatest love stories I have ever created. Thank you to all (including Marie King, my favorite reviewer) for reading and reviewing this story. This story has been a huge blast.**

**Just a few reminders: **

**Firstly, I do not own anything in this story (besides John Bale, Travis Shaw, and the evil organization known as Syndicate), it all belongs to Steven Gould. **

**And secondly, this story does not follow the events of "Impulse" at all. This is more of my version on how I would have written the third novel. This is more of a sequel from "Reflex" and ignores everything that has happened in "Impulse". I apologize to those who have been confused with everything that has been happening with the story so far. :)**

**Also, I know that I said that the story would be put into Cent's point of view, but I thought it would be great to get a little point of view from John and the main villain, Travis Shaw. I wanted you guys to be able to see what has been going on. So that you got a good idea on what is happening. I hope you guys like the switching between characters. Just for the record, Cent is still the main protagonist of this story.**

**Alright, we finally arrived at chapter twenty-one. Here is the small summary.**

**Travis Shaw starts to become more vengeful and out of control than ever before. John and Cent wake up the following morning, happy about their relationship growing more stronger. But... there is still a dark road ahead of them.**

**Please read and enjoy this next installment. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One:**

**The Next Level - Part Three**

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Travis Shaw awoke on his comfortable bed, blankets completely covering his naked body beneath it. Looking over to his side, he saw the pretty blonde girl from last night, sleeping just a couple of inches from him.

He had forgotten her name, but he quickly remembered last night like the back of his head. He met her in the small bar of the Four Seasons. It was too easy for him to reel her into his charms and _fake _gentleman style. Although he was in the mood of a greater challenge, he was also just in the mood of getting laid and having a great time. So, he convinced her to come up to his room and things went _wild _from there.

Many fantasies ran through his mind as he thought about her.

Travis felt the urge to kill the girl now. He wanted to and he was in the mood to get some blood on his hands for once. He saw himself slicing her nice, soft throat with his knife, watching her bleed out till death. Or maybe blowing her brains out with his handgun, equipped with a silencer, of course.

But he knew that her death would only bring suspicion down on him, and not just the police. But Syndicate as well. Travis knew that the organization didn't allow its agents to kill civilians who didn't have any relations to Jumpers or to other supernatural humans. His actions to take this pretty little thing's life would be unnecessary.

_Just play along, _Travis commanded himself. _Maybe you can get lucky with her a second time_.

The very thought of getting it on with this girl again made him more happy and even put a smile on his face too.

The girl awoke and smiled at him.

"Morning," she stretched herself out and yawned.

Travis couldn't help but look at her. He was having the hot's for this girl now.

Playing his gentleman attitude, he came closer and asked, "How was that for a one night stand?"

The girl laughed and said, "Not bad. In fact, last night was like heaven for me. I really enjoyed _you._"

_I bet you did, _Travis joked to himself.

"I apologize if I was did anything wrong last night," he spoke in an adorable and cute voice.

The girl laughed and said, "No, you didn't do anything wrong. You did everything right. Hey, you want to take a shower with me? I have to leave by noon. I was just passing through for Sand Diego. I was just thinking of one more moment of _fun _time with you."

Travis smiled his cute smile on the outside and then his evil smile on the inside.

_They just can't get enough, can they? _he thought.

Without speaking, Travis got up and picked the blonde girl up, whatever her name was, and carried her into the bathroom, where the shower was waiting for them.

* * *

After his _second time _with the blonde girl, which he figured out her name, _Monica, _Travis waited till she had left and got dressed. Afterwards, he made way out of the hotel to his black Mercedes. He got in and started up the engine.

Loud rock & roll music started playing.

But, before he could drive away, his cell phone started ringing.

He put the car back into **park** and answered.

"Travis Shaw," he spoke in a professional matter.

A disguised, high pitch voice said, "Meet me at the Country Bar Club. I need to speak with you."

The mysterious voice hang up on him.

Travis smiled as he put the car into **drive **and drove into the city_._

It took him thirty minutes to reach the Country Bar Club, all thanks to the traffic that was happening.

Getting out of his car and locking it, he walked right into the bar and searched around for his mysterious contact.

The organization had secret meetings in all major cities around the United States and the world. The meetings were handled in public places. Anything like a hotel, bar, club, or even inside a cab, they would meet there and discuss business.

The origins of the organization go back to the time of the Cod War. A group of spies had discovered the existence of Jumpers and feared that they would be used by the Soviets to enter the U.S. government without being noticed. So, the organization of Syndicate was created and people were recruited to hunt down and capture all Jumpers. It's unknown what happens to these Jumpers once they are captured.

Travis looked around and finally saw a _man-in-black, _sitting at a booth at the far end corner of the bar.

Sighing, he walked forward and sat down on the opposite side of the man, who was reading the morning newspaper.

"Is there a problem?" Travis quickly got to the point.

The man lowered the newspaper and looked right at him.

"That depends on how you define _problem,"_ he said in an angry voice. "My superiors are not so happy by the events of New York a few weeks ago. Not at all in deed."

Travis remained firm, but his mind was going wild. He couldn't believe that they had just found out about New York.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Travis said back to him.

The man raised his eyebrows and said, "I know everything, Travis. I know about John Bale. I know about your obsession with him. Hell, I even know about his parents, who you tragically murdered. Even we aren't that dangerous."

Travis smiled and asked, "And I'm guessing that your superiors are going to do something about it, then?"

The man nodded and said, "When I tell then what I have found out, they will discuss what to do with you. You have become a liability to this organization and you must be dealt with. I pray they let you go. But... we both know that they have ways of... _disposing_ loose ends."

Travis smiled. Not at the man's end sentence, but at what he said at first. He now knew that his contact hasn't told his superiors anything yet.

"You're right," Travis leaned forward and spread out his arms. "They do have ways of disposing people. But... so do I."

Before the man could see it coming, a small knife appeared from Travis's sleeve and into his hand. He drove the drive forward and into the man's chest. He then covered the man's mouth with his other hand and made sure that he couldn't get any word or noise out.

The man struggled and then fell silent.

Travis smiled as he pulled the knife out, letting it slide into his sleeve again.

"Sorry," Travis joked. "But, like you said, loose ends must be dealt with. Now, I must deal with one_ last_ loose end." He got up from the booth and walked towards the exit.

Travis didn't need to worry about the discovery of the body. The booth was hard to see and no one could never notice it. By the time someone finds the dead man, it would hours later. No one had seen what he looked like, he made sure of that. In fact, the cameras didn't even get a good glimpse of him either. So, no one will be able to tie this murder back to him. Not even Syndicate.

Getting back into his Mercedes, Travis started up the engine and drove away.

"I'm coming for you,_ John Bale_!" he whispered to himself.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

The sun rose over the beautiful ocean of the Caribbean. It shined through the window and onto the messed up bed.

Cent awoke to feel the warmth of the sun on her bare back. Her lower half was covered up by blankets, but she could still feel the sun's rays. She groaned in pleasure and smiled.

Opening her eyes, she saw the most beautiful boy she ever laid eyes on. He was just only a few inches away from her.

_John Bale._

John laid on his stomach as well, he was smiling as he slept.

Cent came to realize that both of their hands were intertwined. Fingers crossing each other. The warmth of the other passing on to the next. She didn't dare let go of his hand.

Smiling, she silently and gently moved towards him, allowing her body to come into contact with his. She shivered as she felt his warmth and gently stroked his cheek, feeling his nice, soft skin.

John slowly opened his eyes and saw her. He smiled and moved his free hand up to her face, completely cupping one side.

"Morning," he said.

His words made Cent shiver, making her want more his warmth for comfort.

"Morning," she managed to say back.

They both moved their arms around each other, pulling their bodies against one another as they stayed in their powerful embrace. Warmth was being transferred like crazy.

Cent felt his stomach feeling up with butterflies and her mind spinning like crazy.

Last night came back to her as she thought about it.

She remembered John's body against hers. She remembered feeling herself melt into a liquid as they did _it_. Her arms had been pulling John against her, making a few ribs crack, just a little bit. She also remembered begging John to not stop and to make the night count.

It was all like a dream, but yet, it also felt so real too.

After a few minutes of pure silence, Cent said, "I love you."

John smiled again and said, "I love you too." He paused and asked, "So, what do you want to do today?"

Cent buried her face into his bare chest and kissed the places she could reach.

"I just want to stay in bed with you," she said in a soft voice. "Can we do that?"

John nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"Your wish is my command," he said.

They stayed in bed for almost hour. Sleeping in each other's arms, body against body. Just into each other's embrace.

After a while longer, John wriggled out of Cent's arms and got up. He put on his boxers and sat down at the edge of the bed, stroking Cent's back.

Cent groaned in pleasure at it and asked, "What are you doing? I want my bed buddy back!"

John laughed and said, "First, I'm going to get dressed and then, I'm going to make you a special breakfast."

Cent smiled and said, "You're such an amazing boyfriend. I love you so much."

"And I love you so much too!" he said back as he disappeared from the doorway.

Cent smiled and allowed herself to fall back to sleep.

Just as she was about to dream, Cent came to a realization.

She was happy. Happy that she had spent the most precious night of her life with John and giving in to him. There was no regret. No shame in what she and John shared with each other. They were in love and there was no mistake in that or in what they had just done.

They did it right.

With that last thought, Cent fell right to sleep and into the peaceful dream of last night.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John dressed himself into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt in the other bedroom. Then he made way to the kitchen and got right to work on the breakfast for Cent.

Funny thing was, he remembered how she liked her breakfast. She loved blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, and even some orange juice too. Cent told him back when they are out swimming yesterday.

As John got out the materials for cooking, he started to remember every moment of yesterday. It all started to come back to him.

He remembered the precious moments he spent with Cent and the _amazing _night that they had shared together. Some part of him kept worrying through the night if he had made the wrong choice by giving in to her. He hoped that his worrying was wrong, he was really hoping that she was ready. But then, it was the moment when he woke up and looked into her eyes that he saw the real truth. He saw happiness and love inside of her eyes. He saw that she was happy with her decision to give in to him. That she was indeed ready for last night and that she was no regretting a single moment of it.

John's heart jumped as he came to the realization. He was happy that he did something right for once in his life. He was happy to finally be with someone he loves and actually be able to relax.

Cent had changed his life. He was always the guy who was looking over his shoulder and being paranoid about everything.

Until the day he saw Cent for the very first time in his life, John had no idea that love was coming for him. He saw her before she saw him in the cafeteria that one day. At first, he thought he was just having a simple crush and that she wouldn't be interested in him at all. But then she looked at him and kept her gaze on everything about him. He remembered smiling when she turned away when he looked at her. He followed her around and couldn't stop thinking about who she was and why he was interested in her. It wasn't until he helped her with the fallen books in the hallway, that finally felt something strong between them. When their hands met, he felt an electric current flow right across his body, like it was spending him a message. Even she spoke to him, that was when he freaked out about his emotions and left, he could hear her begging him to wait for her, but couldn't control himself as he jumped away. He was afraid of his own feelings then and worried about what he was doing.

Now, here he was. Making breakfast for the one girl who captured his heart, soul, and love.

Once finishing the blueberry pancakes and the scrambled eggs, he poured some orange juice and put the plate and cup on a small silver tray, along with some syrup. Turning off the stove and putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, he took the tray and began to carefully carry it to the master bedroom.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent didn't even hear John as he came into the room and sat the tray at the edge of the bed, where a small space of no blankets were.

She felt a pair of hands rubbing her back as she came fully awake. She groan in pleasure and didn't dare move from where she was laying. Opening her eyes, she saw the tray just a foot away from her and immediately saw the food that John had made. She smiled.

"Thank you for the back rub and the meal," she said to him. "I don't think saying _I love you_ is going to cut it this time. You give me an island, a house, your virginity, a back rub, and now a breakfast meal. This is the best set of birthday presents ever. I love being eighteen."

John chuckled and said, "You're wrong, saying I love you is more than enough for me. I love hearing you say it. You say it with truth and love. Please say it to me. _Please?"_

Cent chuckled and gently turned herself over, making sure not to spill the food. She sat up and moved her arms around his neck, bringing him in for a kiss.

Their lips met and they couldn't pull themselves out of this position for a long while.

"I love you," Cent said as they cam apart, but still in each other's arms. "Thank you for being such an amazing guy and boyfriend to me. I'm the most lucky girl in the world."

John shook his head and said, "No, thank _you_ for being such an amazing girlfriend to me. I'm the lucky one with the most precious beautiful girl in the whole wide world. I love you so much. Thank you for being in my life. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Cent wiped away the tears as they can down her cheeks. She loved it when John was all emotional and expressing his feelings toward her. Why did life have to be so hard for him?

Cent looked at the food and licked her lips with hunger.

John kissed her on the lips again and said, "Lay down and eat, while I rub your back some more. I enjoy touching your skin."

Cent smiled again and laid down on the bed, positioning herself right next to the tray and began to eat the scrambled eggs first with her fork.

John reached over and began to gently rub her back, enjoying the soft skin that he was touching.

Cent moaned with pleasure and enjoyed every minute of it.

"I love how soft your hands are," Cent said to him. "Why can't all guys be like you?"

"Because they would fatherless and motherless," he said in a playful matter.

Cent laughed at his joke and got right to the blueberry pancakes, which she loved so much.

Once she was done eating, John took the tray to the kitchen, so that he could dispose of the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. She laid on her back for a while and waited as John returned. He smiled back at her and sat down at the edge of the bed.

Cent reached out and took his hand, fingers intertwined.

"So, what do you want to do today?" John asked.

Cent smiled and said, "I want to take a shower."

John nodded and said, "I'll wait out in the living room to give you privacy."

Just as he was about to get up, Cent's hand yanked him back on the bed again.

John looked at her in confusion.

Cent smiled again and repeated what she said before, "I want to take a shower... _with you_."

John raised an eyebrow and said, "Now, how I can refuse that offer?"

Cent chuckled and got up from the bed, allowing herself to be fully exposed.

John made moan sound and got up from the bed. He walked over to Cent and traced his fingers down her back.

Cent shivered at his touch and took off his shirt, taking her time to place her hands on his bare chest, kissing him from there, all the way up to his beautiful lips. She easily took off his shorts and then his boxers.

Once John was as exposed as her, he came forward and moved his arms around her, pulling Cent against his body. Her breasts raised and fell against him, their bodies filled in the rest of the gap that was between them.

Cent's mouth fell open with a silent whisper and kissed John on the lips and then his bare chest again.

John kissed her collarbone, neck, lips, and a few other places too.

Finally, John tightened his grip around her and carried her into the bathroom, where a sauna shower was waiting. Just as they stepped on in and closed the glass door behind them, Cent turned the hot water knob and felt the hot water coming right onto them.

While in their lovemaking in the sauna, both Cent and John lost themselves and couldn't even recognize their own voices as the whole thing finally came to an end.

Cent clapped her hands on both sides of John's wet, beautiful face.

John's arms were around Cent's body, making sure she was in his embrace.

They kissed and washed each other, taking their precious time.

After the shower, they dried themselves, together and got dressed.

They sat out on the couch and did nothing but kiss. Since the day they met, they couldn't get enough of each other and didn't want the day to end at all.

_Their relationship was finally moving onto the next level._

* * *

**These two just can't get enough of each other. Talk about true love, right? I hope you guys are enjoying the story. :)**

**Please review on how you guys liked it. I love reading reviews. :)**


	22. A Confession and A Threat

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Alright, the three part storyline of Cent and John moving on into their relationship is done. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Now, it is time to move onto other chapters now.**

**Cent comes home to a worried mother and tells her about her first time with John. Meanwhile, John receives a disturbing message.**

**Here is chapter twenty-two. Please read, enjoy, and review at you're done. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two:**

**A Confession and A Threat**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

As much as Cent didn't want to leave John, she knew that she needed to get back to her parents. Her mom must be worried sick and her dad might be out looking for her. Then again, they might have guessed where she was or at least _who _she was with. But still, she needed to let them know she was alright.

Both Cent and John laid on the couch together, kissing and laughing.

Cent was laying right next to John and resting her head on his chest, enjoying his heartbeat.

"I cannot believe we have finally come this far," Cent said, with her eyes closed.

"Yeah, me too," John stroked her hair. "I'm just happy I did it right. It's about time that I did something right for once."

"You do everything right," Cent protested. "You managed to capture my heart and you managed to earn my trust. I know you will be careful with me. That is why I am so in love with you."

John smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too."

After a few more minutes of just lying there, Cent finally got the strength to get up from the couch.

John tried pulling her back, saying, "I don't want you to leave."

Cent laughed and bent down, kissing him on the lips.

"I love you too," she said, looking at him. "I don't want to leave either. But, I have to get back to my family. My parents are probably going crazy about me right now."

"Alright," John smiled and closed his eyes. "I think I'll just stay here for the rest of the day. I just actually move in."

Cent laughed and said, "You should ask the person who lives here. I hear that she has a boyfriend now."

John chuckled at her joke and said, "I think her _boyfriend _will make an exception. Besides, I think the girl who now owns this place won't mind me staying here. Just so _she _knows where I am." He chuckled again.

Cent raised an eyebrow, playfully, and said, "In that case, I think she will too." She smiled and bent down again, kissing John hard on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Turning away, Cent jumped.

* * *

Just as Cent arrived in her bedroom, she noticed a figure, sitting at the edge of her bed.

Millie sat, with her legs crossed and her arms folded on her chest. Her eyes were narrowed and full of anger.

_Oh no! _Cent said to herself.

Cent looked at her and smiled, trying to put her cute little charms to work.

"Sorry, mom," she managed to say. "I know that you were worr..."

Millie held up her hand to silence her and said, "I don't care where you were, I'm just glad you are okay. I'm not going to yell or argue or ground you, since you are eighteen. But, I would like a little explanation on why you didn't come home last night and why you just showed up around one in the afternoon today?"

Cent sighed and walked over to her mom and sat right next to her. She reached over and took her hand.

"I'm just glad you are okay, sweetheart," Millie hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. "I managed to calm down your father by saying that you were staying at a friend's house. That man falls for anything I say."

Both Cent and her laughed.

"But," Millie raised her index finger, "you do owe me an explanation. I just covered for you and I think I deserve a little reward for it. I hate lying to Davy."

Cent swallowed and took her time to answer.

"I was with John," she finally said.

Millie smiled and said, "Figures! I knew it!"

"We went to this private island in the Caribbean and he showed me this beach house that he has been working on. In fact, he gave me both of them as a birthday present..."

"Wait, hold on!" Millie cuts in. "He gave you a private island and a nice beach house as a birthday present?!" For once in Millie's life, she was blown away.

Cent laughed and said, "Yeah, he did."

"Wow!" Millie looked at the floor in shock. "I mean, wow! That guys must definitely be in love with you! I remember when Davy gave me awesome presents like that, but I never figured that John was like that as well! I like him a lot more now!"

Cent continued her story.

"The reason I didn't come home is because me and John went swimming for a few hours," Cent spoke in a calm and slow way. "Afterwards, we sat and... _talked _for a little bit. But then..." She paused and looked up at her mother.

Millie's eyes widened.

"Please don't tell me that this conversation is about to head down a road that I'm just thinking of," she immediately said.

Cent shook her head and smiled.

"I'm about to head down that road, but bare with me," she took a deep breath. "We talked about our relationship and the way it was going. In truth, we talked about..." She paused again. "...about..."

"Taking the relationship to the_ next level,_" Millie finished for her.

Cent nodded.

"But, John was holding back," Cent smiled as she said the words. "He told me that he worries about the consequences of even going to the next level. He worried about what would happen if things didn't work out so well between us. I wanted me to spend that perfect moment with the man who I will spend the rest of my life with. He even told me that all he wanted was for me to feel ready for even going there in our relationship. He told me that if he truly loved me, that he would allow that next level to slip through his fingers, unless I wanted to go there." Tears began to form. "I've never heard a boy talk like that before."

Millie had tears of her own as she listened.

"But," Cent felt something inside her just shine as she told what happened next, "I knew somewhere, deep down, that I was ready. I knew that John was my one and only love. I _love _him. Nothing can change that. If I lose him, I will never fall in love again. Nothing can destroy what we have together. So, I convinced him that I was ready and we..." She paused and looked at her mother. "... we made love."

Millie cried even harder.

Cent felt bad for her and hugged her again.

"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings mom," she tried to comfort her. "I know this is hard for you to take in."

"No, no," Millie protested. "I'm crying over that. I'm crying because I'm so proud of the woman you have become, Cent. You found true love and you gave in to the right man. You listened to your heart and you followed it. You have finally become the woman that I have seen inside you for years. I'm not crying because you and John did that. I'm crying because of what you just said to me." She sniffled a little bit. "I was like that with David too. I remember our first time years ago. I know the feeling that you described. There was no regret. No shame. No doubts. I knew that Davy was the one and I gave in to him too. Looks like we both found our own man, the right way."

Cent started to tear up as she hugged her mother again.

"Thank you mom," she whispered. "Thank you for understanding."

"Honey, thank you for being the woman I've always wanted you to be. I'm proud of you for finding your true love."

When they parted, Cent suddenly remembered something.

"What about dad?" she asked.

Millie frowned.

Just as she was about to speak, someone _else _interrupted.

"I think good old daddy-o will be fine," David said as he stood at the entrance of the bedroom.

Cent's eyes widened as she looked at him.

With Millie was shocked to see him.

"Dad!" she gasped. "How much did you hear?"

David smiled and said, "Every single word." He walked forward and smiled. "Is it true what John said to you?"

Cent was confused.

"What?"

"Is it true what John said to you?" David repeated.

Cent recovered and said, "Yes, yes, it is all true. He said those words to me. He really cares about me, dad. He loved me and I love him. Please don't go after him with the shotgun..."

"Now, why on Earth would I do that?" David was shocked by her last sentence.

Cent frowned and said, "Because, he slept with me."

"Only because you were ready and you two were in love," David added. "If he was some frat boy, who just wanted to sleep with you, then I would get the shotgun. But... in this case... John is an exception." He smiled. "I could see that he is a wonderful guy and is in love with you. That is all I want for you, Cent. And I think John would make a perfect candidate for this family. Besides, I actually like him a lot."

Cent didn't even know what she was doing. Once she heard those words from her father, she shot up from the bed and ran to him. She threw her arms around David's waist and squeezed.

David moaned in pain.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, so much!" she screamed. "You are the best dad ever!"

"Yeah, no problem," David was turning red from the hug. "Can I breath now?"

Cent let go and said, "Sorry."

Millie walked up to David and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him in for a kiss.

David went along and kissed her back, bringing up both of his hands around her beautiful face.

Cent watched and didn't turn away. For once, she knew what it was like and didn't want to disturb anything. Her parents were in love and they needed a time to have their moments together. Just like her and John.

When they parted, but still in their arms, they smiled at each other.

"I love you," Millie said. "Thank you for being an amazing husband and father. You are the best."

David smiled and said, "You're very welcome. But, I think being the _best _was already taken by you."

Millie kissed him again and giggled at the same time.

Cent smiled some more and watched.

Finally, when they were done, they all headed down stairs, to have a family lunch.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John was thinking about Cent as he heard his cell phone ring in the living room. He was making homemade pizza at the time and was putting the freshly made pizza into the over, as he made way to the living room.

John wished he could go straight to Cent, but he knew that she needed some time with her parents. Besides, he knew he would see her again tomorrow... or tonight, either one.

John picked up the phone, smiling as he answered.

"Hello," he said in a happy tone.

A very evil, dark voice spoke into from the other line.

"Well, hello John. No time no see."

John's smile disappeared as he heard the voice of Travis Shaw. His stomach turned and his blood began to boil.

"What do you want, Travis?" John stepped outside of the beach house, making his voice sound serious.

"Isn't it obvious?" Travis laughed. "I'm bored. No one is willing to play with me. There are less Jumpers to go after." He paused. "Well, except you... and your pretty little girlfriend."

John's eyes widened with fear.

_He knows that Cent is a Jumper._

Travis read his mind and laughed.

"Don't worry, my friend, I won't turn her over to Syndicate. Besides, I have plans for you and little miss Rice."

John's face turned red.

"LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!" he roared into the phone. "I swear Travis, if you hurt her or even come within fifty feet or her, I will jump you straight to hell!"

"Then, I guess I will be seeing you there," Travis joked. "Besides, one of us isn't going to make it out alive of this little game I am planning. And by the way, I wouldn't be looking over your shoulder for the next few weeks, if I were you. I will allow you and Cent to enjoy your romance for a little while longer. But once my patience as ran out, I'm coming for you. You and everyone that you love and care about. Starting with your girlfriend."

John was reaching his breaking point. He wished he could jump to where Travis was and just end him.

Travis wasn't done yet as he spoke.

"I have such fantasies about your girlfriend, John," he laughed. "I can see myself slicing her throat or torturing her with power tools. Or how about me putting a bullet through her pathetic little skull!"

"She is not pathetic!" John yelled back at him. "I swear, Travis, you have just broken into my last nerve! If I see you again, I will end you! I will make sure that you die a horrible death!"

Travis laughed some more and said, "See you around, John."

Once Travis hung up, John was left shaking with anger. He held the phone up to his ear a little longer and then lowered his hand.

He knew that road for him and Cent was going to be dark.

* * *

**Ohhhhhhh! I cannot wait till John and Travis face off! It will be EPIC!**

**Anyway, please review. And I apologize for any mistakes. I'm not much of a edit type of guy. :)**


	23. Know Thy Enemy

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Completely sorry about the wait. I'm sort of going through "writer's block" again. I hate it when I get those. Anyway, I hope you are enjoying the direction I am taking this story. I think we are getting really close to the end now. I have special plans ahead. **

**As summer break approaches, Cent and John are enjoying their relationship to the fullest and cannot wait to have the entire endless summer together. But... there is a great evil that seeks to destroy them. What will happen next?**

**Here is chapter twenty-three. Enjoy and review when you are done. I hope you like this installment. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three:**

**"Know Thy Enemy"**

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Travis Shaw was anything but patient. But, if there was one thing he had learned from being with Syndicate, it was to wait for the perfect moment to strike.

Shaw had spent the entire week tailing the precious little girlfriend, Cent Rice. He knew how much John had it for this girl and he was determined to strike when John was least expecting it.

Shaw figured out that Cent was a Jumper by researching her history. She was known for arriving on time in her classes and for arriving at school without using a school bus or a car. And besides, she owned a BMW, something that any girl or guy would use to drive to school with. It wasn't hard to figure her out. The rest of her history is blank. All of the reports on the documents are false and there were no traces of any _Cent Mary Rice_ in New York City. He knew that Cent and her family were hiding, but not from them. He had an idea that they were hiding from another organization, one that desired to have themselves a Jumper, just like Syndicate does. But Shaw wasn't going to turn Cent or John into Syndicate at all. He had plans for them.

Shaw had always loved the term _'know thy enemy'_. He knew that if he was to win against John Bale, which was easy to him, he had to learn his weakness and know how to make him come straight to him. Shaw knew that Cent was the key to making John come out of hiding. The boy was in love. But this was no ordinary love. John was _truly _in love. He had found... _the one_.

Shaw didn't understand love at all. He saw it as a stupid feeling that should be ignored. He figured that being in love was a weakness, not a strength. Why love someone when you are always left sad in the end? Why even bother to express your lovable side when you can be as dark as a human can be? These questions have haunted him for years and now he had the answers to them. _Because they were weaknesses to have! _It was the answer that drove him further away from his humanity.

Here Travis sat, in his Mercedes, waiting for Cent to come right out of those doors.

He had a plan set and he was ready to take her... _alive_.

His hand tightened over the handle of the twelve-inch knife. The chemical was fully loaded into the blade itself, enough to keep a Jumper asleep and inactive for six hours long, depending on how strong a Jumper could be.

He watched as Cent came running out of the school, she was smiling as she walked with her friends from the backdoor of the high school.

_Surprise! _his mind was roaring with excitement!

Putting on his sunglasses, Travis smiled and used his gloved hand to open the door. He stepped out and hid the knife in the sleeve of his fancy tuxedo. He began to walk towards Cent, getting all excited.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent's time in Los Angeles had taken a strange turn for the better after her _first time _with John from almost a week before. She was more happy and more excited than ever to see him again. They had been meeting up almost every night now, which was driving her parents crazy, but they managed to compromise with her about it. All she had to do was be home by eleven and things were good.

Cent had decided to have John move into the nice beach house in the Caribbean. She liked having him there than back at his other place, here, in Los Angeles. It was too underground and too somewhat depressing. The underground lair was completely blocked off from the outside world and there were only a few windows to allow sunlight in, which happened to be bulletproof glass by the way.

John didn't really want to move into the beach house. He said that it reminded him of his times with his parents and that the house itself was a project he promised to finish for them. But somehow, Cent had managed to convinced him to move in. She remembered that Sunday afternoon like it was yesterday.

* * *

_The sun began to set in the background of the Caribbean, Cent and John laid in bed together, hands intertwined, bodies right next to each other. The blankets covered their exposed skin and were locked into an embrace that made them 'one'._

_John was on his back, while Cent rested her head on his chest, loving the sound of his calm heartbeat. John's arms were around Cent, holding her tightly against him. Despite that the pressure was a little hard on her rips, she didn't want him to stop. She wanted to be as close to him as she could possibly could, even if it meant being hurt by his embrace._

_Cent had planned on coming back to John the night before, but she figured that her parents could use a goodnight sleep, knowing she was still under their roof. Tonight was different though. She had informed her parents that she would be with John all night and that she would see them in the morning before school._

_In speaking of school, this week was the final week of school, right before summer vacation. Cent couldn't wait to have all of that limitless time with John. All she wanted was to have him all to herself. _

_Anyway, when she had arrived at the beach house tonight, her and John couldn't wait to be in each other's arms again. Things went from hugs to kissing and then to the best parts that they loved to do now._

_After making love for the third time in their 'forever' relationship, Cent and John laid in bed in silence for almost an hour straight. They didn't care that about anything but just being in each other's grasp._

_John twisted Cent's hair in his fingers, enjoying the feeling of her softness and her beauty._

_Finally, Cent broke the silence._

_"John?"_

_"Hm?" John kissed the top of her head._

_"I was wanting to talk to you about your current residency," she blurted out._

_John frowned and asked, "What's the matter with my hideout in Los Angeles? I thought you liked it."_

_Cent nodded and said, "I do, but I don't think you should stay there anymore. I worry about you."_

_"If this is about Syndicate, they will never find me there," John chuckled. "Not even Travis Shaw will find that place."_

_Cent supported herself on one arm and pushed herself up, staring into John's eyes._

_"I'm not talking about your physical being, which I do worry about all the time, but I'm talking about your emotional being. I don't like that you live in a isolated place without much sunlight or the peaceful ocean. You have this place and you don't even live here. I think it is time that you started living here now. I would feel more comfortable if you did. Just so I know you are safe."_

_John smiled and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, gently. _

_"As much as I love this place..." he paused. A little pain escaped his throat. "... I cannot live here."_

_"Why?" Cent asked, pressing her cheek more into his hand._

_John smiled again and explained._

_"The reason I could never live here, is because this place reminds me of my parents. You see, I built this place in their memory and I found a reason to ignore the pain inside, but now that reason is gone. It is already hard enough that I have to live the memories of them, but to live in a place that constantly reminds me of them, that would drive me insane because of it. I'm not saying that I want to forget them, I'm saying that I don't want to feel that pain anymore." He paused again and leaned forward, kissing her on the lips. One hand on her cheek. "I only feel at peace when I am with you. It takes a lot to not remember when I am alone in this place. But when I am with you, I feel peace and I want to stay here. But only if you are here with me. I love you."_

_Cent cried her eyes out from hearing this and threw herself forward, fully embracing him. She felt his arms around fully around her too. She buried her face into his shoulder and cried._

_"Please, do it for me," she begged and looked at him. "Can you please live here, for me? I want you to be in a place that is mine, since you gave me this place, I want you to stay here. So I know you are far away from Syndicate and away from that horrible Travis Shaw. Please?"_

_John smiled and kissed her on the lips._

_"Of course," he responded. "I promise. I will start moving in tomorrow. It should be fast. Besides, I actually enjoy the hot tub I have installed."_

_Cent laughed and kissed him again, wanting to get her fair share of kisses._

_With that, they fell asleep on the bed, wrapped in each other's embrace._

* * *

Cent smiled at the memory as she and her friends, Ashley, Emily, and Rachel exited the high school building. They listened to Emily as she told them about her date with James, who was now officially her boyfriend. He had asked her out a few days after the prom. It was like a dream come true for her.

"... then he kissed me," Emily smiled like a child. "He kissed me under the full moon. It was like something out of a fairy tale. I swear it this time, _I'm in love!_"

Cent and the others laughed.

"We know," Ashley giggled. "You have talking about James for a long time now."

"At least he has expressed his feelings for you," Rachel added in. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was in love with you."

Emily lowered her face and asked, "Does he love me though?"

They all stopped at the sidewalk and faced Emily, who was looking towards the ground.

"Is he in love with me?" Emily asked again. "I know he has feelings for me, but being in love is completely different from having just feelings. I want to know."

Cent's heart ached for her and she immediately got to thinking about her times with John and the moment they had finally realized their love for each other. Suddenly, she knew what to ask her.

Cent stepped forward and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Emily, does James look at you with puppy eyes?" she asked. "Eyes that seemed to follow you where ever you go?"

Emily looked up, shocked by the question.

"Y...yes," she answered.

Cent nodded and continued.

"Does he act like a gentleman? And I'm not talking like he forces himself to, but that you can really tell that he is just is being gentleman. Like as in acting like a _real _gentleman."

"Like what?" she asked.

Cent smiled and shrugged.

"Like, holding the door open for you or putting a coat on you when you are cold or even just helping you sit down in your chair. Anything like that."

Emily thought about it and nodded.

Cent smiled and then asked, "Does he ever force you into any position that other boys would do? Like pressuring you to sleep with him?"

Emily's eyes widened in shock.

"No, he doesn't even go anywhere near that soft of subject. In fact... it is like he doesn't even see me like that. I can sometimes tell that he only likes who I am on the inside."

Cent nodded, smiling as she heard the words. James was reminding her of John all over the again.

"Does he always seem to think about your well-being, both physically, mentally, and emotionally?"

Emily smiled and nodded, "Yes! I can just tell sometimes." She paused. "Cent, where are you going with this? How does this help me know if James is in love with me?"

Cent held up her hand to silence her and asked one more question.

"After the prom, how did James start looking at you?"

Emily thought about it for a while and said, "He was starting to look at me like you and John did at the prom. It was weird. He started spending more time with me and then he asked me out and things were just spinning out of control from there. He has never been able to stop caring for me. It is almost like he is..." Emily stopped and her eyes widened in shock at the realization she had just had in her mind.

Cent smiled and helped finish the last few words in her sentence.

"Like he is in love with you?"

Emily's shocked face turned into a huge smile and nodded as fast as she could.

Ashley and Rachel's mouths dropped in shock at what they had just witnessed.

Emily jumped up and down and kept saying, "He loves me! He loves me!"

Cent laughed and tried to calm her down.

"Hey! Calm down before you break a leg with that jumping. Besides, I think you should go tell someone how you feel, because I most likely grantee that James feels the same way. The idiot just needs you to help him fully realize it."

Without another word, Emily started running back up the steps and towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Rachel called out.

"To find James," Emily called back, just before disappearing inside the school. "I have to tell him I love him."

Ashley and Rachel looked at each and giggled.

"Cent, how did you know what to ask?" Ashley asked her.

Cent turned around and smiled.

"Lets just say that I know what it feels like to be in love myself," she responded. "Me and John have become something more than we originally thought. I love him with all of my heart and so does he. There is just no words to describe everything that has been happening between us."

Ashley and Rachel had tears in their eyes from just hearing the words from Cent. They also wanted to know that feeling also.

"Well," Ashley broke the silence, "me and Rachel are heading over to a Starbucks for some coffee. You want to come?"

Cent shook her head.

"No, I'm going to wait for John here."

Ashley raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright. Have fun, Cent."

With that, both Ashley and Rachel walked away and disappeared around the corner.

Cent smiled and walked towards the alley, waiting for her true love to meet her.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Shaw was tired of hearing those girls talk about love, boys, feelings, and all of that other crap that made him want to punk his guts out. But once he saw that Cent was all alone and standing in an alley, his smile and excitement retired.

Standing on the other side of the road, he approached Cent from behind. He walked slowly, wanting to feel the excitement escalate. He couldn't believe that the moment had finally come. The moment that he finally gives John no choice but to come directly to him, all because he had his pretty little girlfriend. Travis hated love so much. He wished he could just kill the meaning of love, so that it had no place in this world.

Just as he was about to enter the alley, he pulled out his knife and prepared to strike Cent from behind.

With a deep breath, he lunged himself forward... until someone appeared right in front of him.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John didn't even see Travis from behind him. He had jumped facing Cent, not Travis. He didn't even see Travis dodge behind the dumpster, completely covering him from sight.

"Hey, beautiful," he came forward and moved his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. "I missed you."

Cent laughed and spun around. Both her hands went on his face, pulling him towards her, and she kissed his beautiful lips.

"Hey, right back at you," she laughed and kissed him again. "I missed you too."

John laughed and moved forward to kiss her again... until he heard something from behind him.

Spinning himself around, fully alert, he kept Cent safely behind him, using his body as a shield to protect her.

_Behind the dumpster! _his mind shouted toward where the sound came from.

Cent was worried now.

"John, what's the matter?"

He didn't answer at first.

"I don't know," he said calmly. "I think I heard something behind that dumpster. I'm going to go see what it was."

Cent's eyes widened in fear.

"No!" she protested, moving her arms around him, making sure he doesn't move. "Just jump away! Just away with me! What ever it was, we can just leave it! Just... please... just away with me."

Forcing himself to let go of the need to find out, he calmed himself down and turned to face Cent again. He grabbed ahold of her and jumped away.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Travis Shaw emerged from the back of the dumpster and smiled to himself as he saw they weren't there anymore.

As much as John wanted to kill them right there in the alley, he knew that he wasn't prepared to take them both on. He needed to stick to the plan. Besides, he wanted to be satisfied with killing John and Cent too. He wanted his plan for vengeance to go actually as he wants it to.

"Enjoy this extended time, John!" he violently whispered. "Because I will get your little princess soon! And then, you have no choice but to come to me! I will kill you and then your little girlfriend! Just wait and watch!"

With that, he walked back to his Mercedes, letting his knife slip back into his sleeve.

He got back into the car, started it up and drove off.

_This game was far from over!_

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent and John appeared in the living room of the beach house.

There was more furniture now, thanks to John moving into the house. He had taken up residency in the master bedroom, which was Cent's idea.

Both Cent and John held onto each other, not even daring to let go.

Finally, Cent looked at him and asked, "What was that about?"

"Sorry," he kissed her. "I guess I'm a little paranoid."

Cent giggled and said, "I know. In speaking of which, you have been acting on full alert since Sunday. Why is that?"

John looked straight in the eyes, unable to talk.

_I can't lie to her, _he said to himself. _I don't want their to be any secrets between us. Never!_

Sighing, John explained.

"Last Saturday, after you left, I received a phone call from Travis Shaw."

Cent gasped in shock.

"He made threats to kill me... including you. That was why I have been so alert for the past week now." He paused to take a breather. "When I heard that noise in the alley, I feared that he had finally come for us. He wants me dead... and you too." Tears appeared in his eyes. "I'm so sorry for endangering you and your family. All I seem to be is a walking time bomb."

Cent cried too and kissed him.

"You are not a time bomb!" she fought back. "Travis Shaw is to blame for his mistakes, not you! I knew the risks of loving you and here I am, still here because I love you! I can take care of myself. I can't live without you, John. If Travis wants you, then he will have to go through me! He can have the world, but he can't have you! I want let him!"

John chuckled and kissed her back.

"You are one amazing girl, you know that?"

Cent smiled and said, "I have my moments."

Taking the next few minutes to calm down, they sat on the couch and held each other.

"What do you want to do today?" John asked as he stroked Cent's hair.

"Well," Cent thought about it. "I want to go swimming."

"Alright, lets go change."

With that, they both disappeared into the master bedroom, returning a minute later, in their bathing suits. They didn't waste time as they ran out of the beach house, down the deck, and jumping off into the ocean that lied before them.

For this long moment, nothing disturbed them. Not even Travis Shaw.

* * *

**Oh boy! Travis Shaw is really going out of his mind to get John! Who likes the way I have created this villain? **

**Anyway, I'll try to end this story with a few more chapters. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. :)**

**Please review. I'll try to have another chapter posted tomorrow. :)**


	24. An Old Nightmare

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Okay, I am so sorry for the wait that I put you guys through. I guess I had writer's block bad this time. But I think I got it under control now. **

**Anyway, this chapter will fully focus on John alone. We will get to see a little bit about his origins and his first time meeting Travis Shaw. We will also get to meet his parents for the firs time too.**

**John begins to worry more about Cent, which causes him to have more nightmares about his parents deaths at the hands of Travis Shaw.**

**Okay, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four:**

**An Old Nightmare**

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John didn't want to see Cent leave, but he knew that her parents felt safe with her under their roof. It hurt him to his very core to see her jump away. He hated being by himself. He could never shake the feeling of being alert. He also couldn't find peace inside this beach house, which always reminded him of the "_what could have bee__n_".

John spent hours up, trying to avoid sleep.

One of the many things he hated about sleeping, was that the nightmares always came at any given moment. He was allowed to sleep in peace with Cent, but without her... that was a different story. It was the one dream that has haunted him since the day he witnessed his parents being killed by Travis Shaw. No matter how much he wanted to be free of that dream, he could never escape it.

Somehow, John knew that this beach house will trigger another nightmare. He could feel it as he tried to stay awake.

He tried swimming, jumping to other cities, and even driving cars through the streets of London. But nothing was going to stop it now.

As much as John wanted to jump to a Four Seasons Hotel, he didn't want to break his promise to Cent. He had promised to sleep and live in the beach house now. He didn't blame her for making him stay here. He would have done the same thing to her if she was in his position.

As much as a paradise as John thought of the beach house, he also saw it as a place of remembrance... and a prison too.

Finally getting tired, John decided to take his chances and sleep in the master bedroom.

Falling asleep was no problem for John.

It was the nightmares that were the real problem.

* * *

_A twelve year old John was playing with his toys in his bedroom, making crashing noises as he pretended his toy cars crashed into each other._

_"Honey!" came a voice from outside his bedroom. "Come on down! Dinner is almost ready!"_

_Throwing the toys to the ground, John got up and ran out of the bedroom, rushing down a flight set of stairs. When he came to the dining room, he saw his mother sitting up the table for dinner._

_John's mother, Martha, looked at her son and smiled._

_"You hungry?" she asked._

_John nodded and said, "Very."_

_"Well, I hope homemade pizza will satisfy that hunger of yours."_

_His eyes widened and he immediately jumped into his seat._

_Martha gave him the "eye" and folded her arms on her chest._

_"John?" spoke in a calm, but serious voice. "What have I told you about 'jumping' inside the house?"_

_John rolled his eyes and said, "No one is here. Besides, what is the point of having superpowers if you can't even use them?"_

_"Because me and your father have agreed that we shall help you learn how to take responsibility for your powers, by teaching you when and where to jump. Besides, you can sit down like a normal human being."_

_John chuckled and said, "You saying that I'm not a human being?"_

_Martha smiled and waved him off._

_"No," she took the pizza out of the oven and put it on the table. "All I'm saying is this, if you are to control your actions with this gift, then you need to learn to control the gift itself."_

_John rolled his eyes again and looked towards the pizza, waiting for the moment when he could take a piece._

_From the entrance of the kitchen, came John's father, William._

_"I smell homemade pizza," William walked over and kissed his wife on the lips, embracing her with his arms. "In speaking of smelling, I smell a beautiful woman right here."_

_Martha blushed and kissed him back._

_"And I smell I handsome man," she responded back._

_As near-teenagers go, all of them would look away or make stupid comments... but not John._

_John watched as his parents held and kissed each other. He loved seeing his parents being so strong in their love for each other. It made him happy. He knew a lot of teenagers in his school who had separated or divorced parents. He knew he was lucky to have such loving parents who did things right._

_Without looking at his son, William spoke directly to him, "Remember, John, always love the one person who will capture your heart. Hold her, kiss her, tell her you love her. No matter what, you always stick by her... and you always protect her. Only love her for her, not her body. And most importantly, you make her the one important person in your life. Nothing else can top her, because she is you true love and true love always comes first."_

_John smiled and nodded._

_"Yes, dad."_

_Without another word, they all joined in on a family dinner and ate together._

_The night was going so well for them. After eating, they all got to work on the dishes. William washed. Martha rinsed. John dried and put the dished in the covers. They all loved to do house work together. It gave them more time together and it also got things done much more faster._

_The door bell rang._

_"I wonder who that is at this hour?" Martha asked as she grabbed a clothe and dried her hands._

_William stopped her and said, "I'll go see who it is, you and John can finish up here."_

_Martha smiled and kissed him._

_John watched as his father disappeared from the kitchen._

_Finally putting the last dish away, he wiped his hands dry with the small towel and faced his mom._

_"Mom?"_

_"Yes," she smiled at him._

_Swallowing hard, he asked, "What is true love like? How did you and dad find it in the first place?"_

_Martha smiled to herself and leaned against the counter for support._

_"True love isn't just something that can be put out into words. It's more than words. It has to be felt in order to truly understand it." She stopped for a moment. "When I met your father, I was in college and still a little 'wild', if you know what I mean."_

_John and Martha chuckled together._

_Martha continued on._

_"Anyway, the first time I met your father, I was easily taken away by him. I couldn't help but fall in love with him. I couldn't speak, couldn't think straight. Heck, one time he caught he staring at him during lunch hour. Now that was embarrassing."_

_"How did you two officially meet?" _

_"Well, he met me, actually. After a few days of 'following' him around, he finally came up to me and introduced himself. At first, I was shocked and thinking that all of it was a dream, but then I came to my senses and introduced myself right back. Things fell into place after that. We couldn't stay away from each other. Every moment that we got, we used to spend together. I couldn't wait to see him again. Every time I saw him I just ran up and kissed him flat on the lips, in public even."_

_John chuckled._

_Suddenly, they heard William's voice rise from the front door._

_"No, you cannot come inside!"_

_Martha shot John a look and immediately ran from the kitchen._

_John couldn't help but follow her._

_Just as he reached the hallway that lead directly to the front door, he stopped and looked on._

_Martha reached William and took his hand._

_At the front door were a couple of 'Men-in-Black'._

_"Sir," one of the men spoke. "I'm afraid that you have to let us enter. We have orders to speak to your son about something."_

_"And what is that?" William asked._

_"We cannot say," another man spoke._

_"Then I'm afraid that we will have to take this up with your superiors!" William fought back. "I will not allow you to take my son, until you tell me what you need him for!"_

_John was impressed with how his father handled his anger. He could tell that he was angry, but he was using it in a professional matter._

_"Is that so?" came a voice that frightened John to his very core._

_The voice came from behind the 'Men-in-Black'._

_The men moved out of the way and allowed a new figure to move towards the door._

_John couldn't get a good picture of him from the sunglasses that he wore. But just from the sound of his voice, he could tell that he wasn't just any ordinary man. Every muscle in John's body yelled at him to run, but his own body was refusing to listen to him._

_The mysterious voice spoke again._

_"My name is Travis Shaw," the man smiled. "These men and I are from the FBI. I do apologize for not introducing ourselves directly. We have gotten use to having our suits do the talking for government work." _

_He smiled again, this time at John._

_"We need to see your son immediately," Travis tried to enter the home, his eyes still locked on John._

_William stopped him with a hand to his shoulder._

_"You are not going anywhere with my son!" he said in a calm, but serious tone. "Come back with your superiors and then we might talk."_

_Travis looked at him and sighed._

_"Always have to do this the hard way," he said and reached to his side for something._

_Before John could realize it, Travis pulled out his handgun and aimed it at William. He fired a single bullet into his chest._

_William went backwards and fell on the ground, with blood beginning to spill all over the floor. His eyes closed._

_John felt himself go numb and every slowed down._

_Martha screamed as she ran towards her husband and took his hand into hers. She screamed out his name as she cried._

_Travis walked forward and aimed his gun at Martha. He fired another round into her head._

_She fell next to William, hands intertwined together._

_John felt tears running down his cheeks as he watched his mother and father die right in front of him. _

_Travis and his men walk on through the door, their eyes trained on John._

_Turning his attention to his parents killer, John felt a rage of anger run through his body. He began to feel his face turn red and his hands formed fists. He positioned his legs for a sprint and gathered up all of his energy._

_Then, without hesitation, he ran forward._

_Just as the men had pulled out their knives, John jumped forward. He knew that if he was going to die, then he was going to die by killing the man who took his parents. _

_Suddenly, just as he appeared right in front of Travis, he felt a hand grab him by the throat and yank him off the ground and into the air. Then he felt the same hand bring him down towards the ground. Pain rushed through his back as he crashed against the ground of the floor. His entire spine felt like it had broken into two. The same hand that had brought him down, tightened its grip around his next and began to choke him._

_Getting back his vision, he stared right into the eyes of Travis Shaw himself and felt his body shiver as he looked at him. _

_Finally, John realized that Travis had anticipated his move and had planned for him to appear right where he was. This guy had to have faced people like him before. His eyes widened as he realized what had happened._

_Travis smiled, as if he read his mind._

_"Yes, John," he spoke in a very evil way. "I know who and what you are. In fact, you have been on our radar since that little video of you was posted on the Internet. It wasn't that hard to find out about you."_

_"How do you know my name?" John barely spoke. _

_Travis chuckled and said, "We're the Syndicate. We know everything."_

_"Why did you kill my parents?" _

_Travis looked at Martha and William and chuckled again._

_"I wouldn't have, if they had only listened to me. But then again, I think I would have killed them. Just for fun."_

_Anger once again rose inside John. He wanted to kill this guy so bad. _

_Travis reached out his hand and one of the men handed him a very large blade._

_John's eyes widened._

_"Don't worry," Travis smiled. "Syndicate wants you alive. The chemical inside this blade will only stop you from jumping for a matter of hours. We don't want you getting away."_

_Without thinking, John somehow managed to bring his arm around punched Travis in the face. He felt his hand loosen its grip and come right off his throat, allowing him to breath again. _

_And before anyone had the chance to grab him, John jumped away._

_Before John knew it, he had landed on the sand of the lake that he always came to with his parents. He allowed himself to fall to the ground and roll up into a tiny ball. He cried and cried, not caring if anyone came looking for him. He allowed the darkness of the night to consume him and allowed the little waves of the lake to mask his crying. He knew that he would never see his parents again. Just like he will never be able to have a normal life again._

_Only one face appeared in his mind... Travis Shaw. _

* * *

John's eyes shot open and he leaned up in bed.

He was breathing hard and sweat was all over his bare chest, face, and arms. He put his head in between his hands and controlled his breathing, allowing himself to calm down.

It was like this almost every single night. The nightmares never left him alone, except when he was with Cent.

Getting out of bed and heading into the bathroom, John stripped off his boxers and got into the sauna. He turned the knob to full heat and allowed the water to burn his body.

He was used to pain now. After all of the scars and battles from Travis, a little burning hot water was nothing to worry about.

John knew that his worst nightmare has yet to come. Travis Shaw was always going to be a threat to him as long as one of them lives. As much as John hates to admit it, he knows he has to kill him. If he truly wants to be free and live a normal life with Cent, then he has to end the one problem that has been causing him trouble since the day his life was changed forever.

_He has to kill Travis Shaw._

* * *

**Who liked this chapter? I hope you guys enjoyed the flashback/dream setting. I thought it was important that we got to see what truly happened to John and what every night is like for him. **

**Please review! :)**


	25. An Old Friend & A Vengeance

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**This next chapter is a special one. A friend of mine has agreed to star in my story as a minor character. She is a new regular on fanfiction and goes by the profile name GeekyZoee. She is a very important friend of mine and I hope that you enjoy her character in this story. I will be naming the new character "Zoe" after her.**

**Anyway, this chapter will refocus back on Cent a little bit and will also see what Travis is up to as well. Oh, yeah, we will also get a small point of view on Millie and David together too.**

**On her last day of school before summer, Cent meets up with an old friend. John finds himself making a decision of his own, one that will change his life. Meanwhile, Travis begins his revenge against John.**

**Please read and enjoy the next installment to my story. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five:**

**An Old Friend & A Vengeance**

* * *

**John:**

* * *

Friday was the longest day in John's life.

After the recent nightmare from last night, John didn't take any chances of going back to sleep. Instead, he decided to walk around Los Angeles for a while. He didn't care if he gets the attention of Syndicate or Travis Shaw. They already knew he was in the city, so it didn't matter on how careful he was when by himself. It was being with Cent that worried him the most.

Cent was the reason for him lowering his defenses. Before he even met her, he was always jumpy and a little paranoid. He never got the chance to relax or have fun without looking over his shoulder. But once he met Cent, everything changed. He wasn't scared anymore. She made him happy and brought back his smile. And she completed him too.

Despite with everything that has been happening with Shaw and Syndicate, John was determined to never let Cent go. He was in love with her and nothing was going to change that. Not even Shaw himself.

That was also why he was visiting an expensive jewelry store in the downtown part of the city.

John looked at every ring he could find, trying to study the type that Cent would like.

Some part of John made him think that he was crazy to be doing this. Him and Cent hadn't even completed a full month in their relationship. Not to mention that Cent still had another year of school to go.

But another part of him just knew that he needed to do this. He was in love with Cent. Besides, he can wait till she completed her senior year. But he just knew that he needed to do this now. He couldn't wait any longer.

"I see a young man in love," said a voice from behind him.

John turned to see an old man behind him.

Just from the suit the old man was wearing, he could tell he was an employee.

John smiled and asked, "What gave it away?"

The old man smiled back and replied, "I could see the love in your eyes." He stopped and raised an eyebrow. "And the fact that you keep looking at each of those rings over and over again. I was once in love like you, back when I was much younger."

John reach out his hand and introduced himself.

"John Bale."

The old man smiled again and shook his hand.

"George," he replied. "So, who is the lucky girl?"

"Actually, I'm the lucky one," John said. "The girl I love is Cent. I'm just trying to pick out the perfect ring for her. Since I'm going to be with her forever, I want to see her smile forever. I want to begin off right with her and maker her happy."

George smiled and said, "Now here is a true man! I have never heard anyone speak like that in a long time. I have seen men come through here, always just picking out a simple ring and not even considering if the girl will like it or not. Not to mention that the modern society has screwed up the idea of love. I missed the good old days when boys were polite to girls and never once treated them like trash. For men and women today, it is always about themselves. True love is about who you love, not just yourself. People are always suspecting to be loved without even providing the love in the first place. I'm proud to see that you are one of the few young men today to remember that."

John smiled and said, "I owe that to my old man. He taught me how to treat a woman and how to act around them too. But the one important thing he taught me was that I always protect and hold onto the woman I love. To never let her go and always show her just how much I love her."

George nodded in agreement and said, "Wise old man. He must be proud that you have found your true love now. Just like he will be proud on your wedding day."

John's face dropped.

"Actually, my father and mother died a while back."

George's smile disappeared.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Nothing to be sorry about, it was a long time ago. I best thing I can do now is live my life to the fullest. And I want to start by marrying the girl I love."

George clapped his hands together and walked up to the counter, where tons of rings lied before them.

"Then we have work to do," he blinked towards John and smiled. "Lets see if we can find Cent's wedding ring."

John smiled and joined him as they searched through the rings. One by one.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Excitement rose inside Cent as she sat in her seat for the final hour of school. She stomped her feet, silently, as she looked at the clock. Every second and minute made her more excited as she waited for the moment when the _final _bell would ring for the entire year.

The good news about being in high school was that school always gets out early on the last day of school. Instead of ending at three thirty as usual, it was going to end at noon. Every semester test was already done and all that was left were the final few minutes.

Cent had a great time with her friends Ashley, Emily, and Rachel during lunch. They talked about what they were going to do for the summer break and what they will do when they return for their senior year. But most importantly, they also talked about what they will do when they finally graduated and move on with their lives.

Emily and James had officially become a couple now. They were always together whenever they got the chance. It reminded Cent of her parents and of course, herself and John too. It was beautiful to see true love at work and doing a great job at it. Cent could tell that Emily and James were meant for each other and were going to get married one day too.

One thing that Cent was going to miss about school, was the fun moments she has with her friends. It was going to be a little lonely with Ashley, Emily, and Rachel for the next three months of summer break.

Cent wondered what will happen next year for her and parents. She wondered if they will remain in Los Angeles or be forced to leave. If the people who kidnapped her father years ago found them in Seattle, then surely they could find them now. Not to mention that she had finally learned about Syndicate and Travis Shaw from John. It left like the entire world was against them. But at least the thought of staying with John made her feel better. Because no matter what, John and her had the ability to jump and that was the one thing that will always connect them. And if things do go south, there always the private island in the Caribbean. They could always meet up there in times of crisis.

Finally, the school bell rang for the final time.

Everyone shot up from their seats in the classroom, cheering and throwing papers everywhere.

Cent ignored them and ran out of the classroom.

The only thing that Cent had with her was her purse as she exited the school. She had cleared out her locker the day before and didn't have to bring anything else with her for the final day of school.

As she rushed down the steps, eager to go meet up with John at the beach house, she accidently bumped into someone.

"So sorry about that...", they both said at the same time.

Cent stopped as she looked into the eyes of someone she once knew from a long time ago, for a slit second. Her eyes widened.

The same girl nearly walked off until she looked back and completely stopped in her tracks.

"Cent?" the girl's eyes widened with shock.

"Zoe?" Cent said back, her mouth hung open.

Zoe was a friend of Cent's back in Seattle. The two met in the elementary school and had been best friends since then. Zoe was a year older and a grade ahead of her. The best thing about her was that she always helped Cent out with her homework and taught her the hardest parts of Math too. They did everything together. Went to movies, talked about boys, shopping, and even teamed up in class too, which also included gym. They never once argued and never once lied to each other.

It sadden Cent that she had to leave Seattle without even saying goodbye to her. She remembered begging her parents to let her see Zoe once more and just say goodbye for the final time. But her parents were always protective and cautious and didn't let her, out of fear that it would only get Zoe herself in danger.

Zoe and Cent both planned on going to the dance party back in Seattle. Cent remembered when they were excited to go to with their _dates_. Zoe was going with her high school crush, Alex. Cent of course was going with Jack. They had spent days preparing for that special moment, until some of enemies of Cent's parents came looking for them. That one moment ruined everything.

Before Cent knew it, Zoe came forward and hugged her.

Cent smiled and hugged her back.

"Is it really you?" Zoe asked as they took a step or two away from each other. She smiled as she looked at Cent, just so happy to see her.

That was one of the many things that Cent loved about Zoe. She was always _smiling. _It was hard to make her cry, angry, or even sad. Zoe was always the happy. It was also that same happiness within her that made others smile as well. The girl's smile had a way of making others smile. She was a bright light that just wouldn't stop shining through the darkness.

Cent smiled again and said, "Yes, it's me. I'm so happy to see you Zoe."

Suddenly, Zoe hugged her again, squeezing with all of her might.

"I'm so happy to see you too!" she said with excitement.

Another thing that Cent loved about Zoe also, was that she loved to give lots of _hugs_. I girl was just hug-giver machine. But that was one of the many things that her so beautiful and perfect. Everything was just great around her.

Cent hugged her back and said, "I'm so happy to see you too. I've missed you so much."

They parted again and smiled at each other.

"Okay, you got to tell me, what in the world happened to you?" Zoe jumped right into the questions.

Cent's frown and asked, "Aren't you mad at me for leaving without saying goodbye?"

Zoe smiled and said, "I wasn't mad at you, but I was upset that I didn't get to see you again. I mean, you and your family leave out of the blue and are never seen again. I spent the last four months trying to find out what happened to you."

Cent's heart nearly broke into two.

_How could I have done this to her? _she thought.

Zoe smiled again and said, "How about we talk over at a Starbucks. I found one yesterday. We came catch up there."

"Sure," Cent smiled. "How long have you been in Los Angeles?"

They began to walk down the sidewalk, ignoring the loud cheers of teenagers as they came rushing out back door of the school.

"Only for a full week," Zoe answered. "I got accepted at the University of California, Los Angeles. I finally got my chance at becoming a professional writer."

Cent smiled and took Zoe's hand.

"I'm so happy for you!" Cent cheered. "You're finally moving up in the world! I always knew you would be become a writer one day! But I never thought you would come to Los Angeles. What happened to joining the University of Seattle?"

"They didn't accept me," she explained. "My mom convinced me to try out for Los Angeles universities, so I did and got accepted to UCLA. I was scared about moving down here. I guess I didn't want to leave home, especially Seattle. I just love that city so much. So many memories and so many good times. Remember when we went to go see _The Avengers _together last year?"

Cent and Zoe giggled.

"Yeah, I remember," Cent said. "We laughed so hard when the Hulk started bashing Loki against the floor like a little Barbie doll."

"And when Thor said Loki was adopted, now that was funny."

They both laughed.

* * *

Both Zoe and Cent order the same coffee together at Starbucks and sat down at a little booth together.

They quickly went into small details about themselves and what has been happening for the last four months.

As it turns out, Zoe just moved into one of the dorm rooms at the university and has taken a job as a waitress at a fancy restaurant, which pays good money. It was hard for her to leave Seattle. Her whole plan was to stay there and make her career as a writer at the University of Seattle. But some part of her was happy for the change to move to Los Angeles instead. She still planned on visiting her parents every Christmas and summer vacation.

Zoe loved writing her stories back when she was younger. Cent would always be the first to read them and tell her how good they were. She had an amazing imagination and how she wrote her stories were great and amazing. Cent convinced her to take creative writing classes and start looking towards college to find some more experience in story writing and computer skills too. In speaking of computers, Zoe turned out to be great at it and was able to get through word processing very easily. Computers soon led to videogames and movies too. Both of which Cent and Zoe enjoyed doing together.

Cent stuck to a minor story that things were going well for her. That she has met new friends and is planning on going to college too. But she kept the details about jumping, secret organizations, John, and her current situation under wraps.

"Okay, now that we have gotten the whole 'how are you doing' thing out of the way, I still have big time questions for you," Zoe smiled and pointed towards Cent. "First question, what on Earth happened? Why did you guys move all of sudden?"

Cent swallowed and took a drink of her coffee.

"It's complicated," she said, barely. "I have to show you in order for you to believe me. Can you wait till afterwards? I promise I will tell you everything when I finally show you what I mean. It will make more sense then."

As much as Cent didn't want to involve her into this, she knew that she couldn't just turn her back on her best friend. Last time was out of her hands, but now she has the opportunity to tell her the truth and see how she takes it. It hurt her that she kept her jumping ability a secret from her for so long. Even during the times when they were together in Seattle caused her hurt inside. Some part of her hoped that Zoe would understand that it was all to protect her from others.

Zoe smiled and said, "Of course. I can wait till then. Besides, we have to catch up on other things. And I know that you didn't just ditch me on purpose. I figured that you and your family left for a reason. Not to mention that some weird people came asking about you. I figured that must have been the reason why you guys left, but I still don't know the full details yet." She took another drink of coffee. "Alright, ask away. I know you have a million questions to get off your shoulder."

Cent smiled and asked, "How much changed after I left? How did you do for that time period I was gone?"

Zoe sighed and said, "Everybody was wondering what happened to you. I mean, even the teachers did too. But as usual, things went on and soon enough, everybody just stopped asking. I, on the other hand, tried searching for you. Even when school ended three weeks ago, I kept wondering what happened to you."

Cent allowed a small tear to escape down her cheek. She took one of Zoe's hands and held onto it.

"Are you and Alex still together?"

Zoe made a sad face and said, "No. I mean, we dated after the whole dance. I went with him to the dance party and I had my first dance and kiss with him. It was almost like a fairytale coming to life."

Cent smiled.

"We dated for a while, afterward. I really enjoyed it. It felt nice to have someone to spend time with. Someone you can actually share a whole new relationship with. But when the final days of school came, I realized that we both were going to be separated by thousand of miles away from each other. Even if I did get accepted to that university in Seattle, me and Alex wouldn't be able to see each other."

"Where did Alex get accepted?" Cent asked.

"He went Miami. Or he will be going there by the end of the month. Anyway, I knew that we couldn't do a long distance relationship like that. I talked with him at our favorite restaurant and I told him that we should end things before we go our separate ways. A part of me wanted to cry, because I still had that crush for him. But at the same time, I knew I was doing the right thing."

Cent frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, my feelings for Alex are just a crush, nothing more. I mean, my feelings would have grown over time for the three months in our relationship. Feelings usually develop in a relationship. I knew that I couldn't truly love Alex. Maybe I could, if we had more time. But I knew that things wouldn't work out with a long distance relationship. So, I talked with him and he agreed with me. He was sad too, you know, to end our relationship. He actually liked me and he wished that things would have turn out different between us. Maybe it could have, if only we had more time to allow our feelings to build." She took another drink of her coffee again. "After we broke up, I was sad. I finally understood why a break-up hurts. It seems that no matter what, you just cannot help but feel sadness for a break-up. I remember crying for through the night afterwards."

Cent had tears in her eyes from just hearing this and it broke her heart.

"Oh, Zoe, I'm so sorry," she said, tearfully. "I wish I was there to help you through it. Like friends always do."

Zoe smiled and said, "You don't need to apologize. I know you couldn't because you had your problems at the moment. Besides, I got over it real quickly. I came to realize it was for the best and that I was giving Alex the chance to be loved by someone who will be able to provide the kind of love I couldn't. And I was also allowing myself to get a taste in how the men are down here too." She smiled, playfully. "I couldn't help but notice how hot they are here. Seattle doesn't have men this close to how they are here."

Cent laughed.

"Oh, Zoe, I do miss these girl talks with you," she stopped laughing and her smile disappeared. "How is Jack?"

Zoe knew what she meant.

"Jack was actually sad that you left," she explained. "He told me that he was actually going to ask you out on a date after the dance. He said that he wanted to begin a relationship with you and see where it goes. In fact, he helped me look for you."

"Really?" Cent was caught off guard. "For how long?"

"Until the end of school. He was pretty worried about you and he even admitted that he liked you more than he thought he did. But he figured that it would be best to let you go and move on. I felt bad for the guy. He was kind and sweet. I heard rumors that his family is moving away from Seattle after his senior year. Jack hasn't decided if he will stay in Seattle for college or go off to somewhere new."

Cent sighed and said, "I really made a mess of things back in Seattle. I really liked Jack and I blew my chance to have something with him. But then again, I think it was for the best. I actually found... _someone_."

Zoe's eyes widened with shock and excitement.

"Really? What's his name? Are you in love? Does your parents know?"

Cent laughed and said, "His name his John Bale and yes, my parents know about him. In fact, they accept him and allow me to be with him." She paused and swallowed. "And I am in love with him."

Zoe nearly jumped where she sat in the booth and said, "Oh, Cent, I am so jealous of you! How can you beat me to true love already?!" She took a drink of coffee, drinking what was left of it. "Okay, tell me everything! How and when you guys met? Is he handsome? Hot? American? Does he love you? And most importantly..." She paused. "... have you guys done _it_?"

Cent giggled and waved her off.

"Stop it, Zoe!" she laughed even harder. "You're making me laugh."

Zoe laughed along with her.

Finally calming herself down, Cent answered, "We met in school and have went to the prom together. And yes, for your information, he is handsome, hot, and very much American. He is indeed in love with me, as I am with him. And to answer that last question... yes... we did do _it_."

Zoe's eyes lit up again and smiled.

"How..." she was caught off guard. "... how was it?"

Cent smiled and leaned in closer.

"It was amazing," said in a happy, calm voice. "I mean, you know how they say that your first time is better with someone you love? Well, it was like that, only better. And to add to it, John was only concerned about me. I've seen that guys only do it for themselves, but John is different. You can tell that he wants to, since he is a guy and all, but he was only willing to go there when I was ready. He explained that he didn't want to hurt me emotionally or mentally and that he thought it was best we should wait till I was ready. But it was then that I realized that I _was _ready and that John was my true love. He loves me for me, not for my body or anything else. And I love him for who he is too. We have a love that will last forever. I know we will never lose each other. I just love him so much. I truly do."

Zoe had tears forming in her eyes and she wiped them away.

"I wish I can fall in love like you," she said. "I hope that I find true love too."

Cent smiled and said, "You will. I know that you will. You just need to look for him. And I bet he is right here, in Los Angeles."

Zoe smiled at Cent and took her hand, holding it tightly.

"Do you want to order more coffee?" Cent asked.

Zoe winked and said, "Of course I do! We have some lost time to catch up on!"

Cent smiled and got up with her.

They both got in line and talked until their turn was up.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Shaw sat in his Mercedes, researching through his computer and waiting for his moment to make his first move in his plan for revenge.

After the little incident from yesterday, Travis was preparing to make no more mistakes. He knew what he needed to do and he knew just how to kidnap little miss Cent Rice. If he couldn't get to her in her school, then he would have to try by kidnapping her inside her own home.

His car was parked one house down from where the Rice residence was. He waited for almost an hour, trying to get the chance to sneak into the house.

One of the many things that Syndicate taught Shaw was how to know when a Jumper was home or not. Even when the lights were off or when I Jumper was sleeping, a Syndicate operative can easily tell when someone is home. It was all a matter of knowing where to look and when to go.

Shaw knew that one of Cent's parents were home, but he wasn't in mood of murdering anyone else. He knew that tonight was the was night that he finally kills John Bale. The one Jumper who got away from him. He needed John gone in order to concentrate on his later missions to hunt down Jumpers.

Besides, he figured he could just tell Syndicate about the couple and get promoted for finding not one but two Jumpers. Or maybe he could Cent to the mix and make it three. The again, he would love to see John's face when he kills Cent in front of him. But how she would go out was the question. If he chooses to kill her, he could go for a gun shot to the chest or head. Or maybe slice her throat. Or maybe stab her in the heart. So many choices, but only one can be chosen. Maybe he can do all of them and make John watch.

Either way, he was going to kill John Bale and he was going to rid the world of him forever. No matter what, their little rivalry was going to end. Tonight.

Finally, Travis had enough of waiting and decided that he was going in. He didn't care if he had to kill the parents to get his revenge. Patience was usually his strong point, but now he was willing to break that rule.

He smiled and sat the computer on the passenger seat. He grabbed his knife put on his sunglasses.

Exiting the car, he walked across the road and across the lawn to the front steps of the house. He didn't have trouble picking the lock. He was taught how to do these things when he did his training with Syndicate. The agency was known for never taking chances. Every field agent was suppose to do trained in every way possible.

Travis studied the house as he walked through it. He had a great way of knowing the characteristics of a house. He could tell that there was happiness and love everywhere he went. It made his skin crawl as he sensed it.

When he arrived in the living room, he saw a man sleeping on the couch, snoring.

Travis smiled and pulled out his knife. He walked forward, silently and stealthy. He arrived just inches from the man and studied him. He brought the knife to his throat, just barely touching the skin.

So many ideas ran though Travis's head. He wanted to cut the man's throat. He wanted to see Cent's face when she sees that her father is dead. He started to think that leaving both Cent's parents alive was a bad idea. He felt the urge to kill him. He really wanted to. He just _needed to_. So badly.

Travis loved it when he had a life in his hands. He loved the feeling of taking a life and watching everything about just simply disappear.

Right there and now, Travis made his decision and prepared himself to press the knife into the skin of the man's throat.

Suddenly, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Honey, I'm home!" a woman's voice came from the upstairs master bedroom.

_Damn that woman! _Travis roared to himself.

Thankfully, the man didn't hear anything and continued to snore in his sleep.

Travis quietly and quickly backed away and moved out of the living room. He right next to stairs and waited till the woman came running down the steps. He watched as she disappeared into the living room.

Smiling to himself, Travis moved up the steps and easily found Cent's room.

He hid in the small closet of her bedroom and silently closed the door.

_And so, the hunter waits, patiently, for his prey, _Travis smiled at the thought to himself.

* * *

**David & Millie:**

* * *

As soon as Millie arrived back from work, she couldn't wait to get her hands on David. She hated being away from him and always counted the seconds until she saw her loving husband again.

David was the only person in her entire life to show love to her. All of her past boyfriends were all jerks and disloyal to her. The worst of them was Mark, who cheated on her multiple times. But once David entered her life, things changed. She experienced true love and knew that no matter what, he was the one for her. She will always love him for everything that he has done for her.

The problem she had about David was that she didn't approve of the time he stole three million dollars. But then again, he was young and on his own back then. He left his father and needed to survive somehow. His theft never hurt anyone, except for the bank, who happen to make that kind of money everyday.

As Millie ran down the stairs and into the living room, she found David, asleep on the couch.

Rolling her eyes, she jumped forward and yelled, "GUESS WHO!"

Before David could awake or even move, Millie crashed into him.

David moaned in pain and chuckled.

Millie laughed and kissed him in the lips.

Getting her joke, David wrapped his arms around his beautiful wife and kissed her all over her face.

Millie kissed back and got on top of him.

"How is my sexy wife doing?" David asked, placing his hands on her hips.

Millie smiled and said, "Fine. But I'll be great if you take me to Paris right now and ravish me at a fancy hotel."

David raised an eyebrow and said, "My, my. Aren't you in a romance mood tonight. By the way, do you happen to know where Cent is?"

Millie kissed him and said, "Most likely with John. I swear, those two are in love. I can see it in their eyes. Doesn't it remind you of us?"

David nodded and said, "Yes, it does. But I think John has my number. I feel bad for the kid. Lost his parents to a homicidal maniac and forced to go on the run from an evil organization, all alone. And yet, he happens to be so honest and full of love."

"But at least he has found true love. It makes me happy that our daughter is in love. I was worried that our moving around would ruin whatever chance she had at marrying and having children. And to make things better, this boy turns out to be like us. What are the odds, huh?"

"Yeah."

They kissed some more.

"Are you going to take me to a hotel in Paris or what?!" Millie teased.

David smiled and grabbed his check book off the small glass table.

"Looks like Cent and John aren't the only ones who will be _ravishing _tonight," David winked and wrapped his arms around his loving wife, kissing her on the lips.

Before they knew it, David and Millie jumped to Paris.

* * *

**Wow! That was the biggest chapter I have ever written! And so many point of views too! :)**

**Okay, who enjoyed that chapter? Is it getting exciting or what?**

**Anyway, I would like to thank GeekyZoee for allowing me use her for this story. I enjoyed writing her character into this story and I hope that all of you did too. And by the way, if you guys want, please check out her very own "Jumper" story. It's a sequel to the movie and it is very good. She is a first timer on this website and I want all of you to go easy on her. If I find any reviews that seem to hurt my friend's feelings, then you will be hearing from me. But anyway, thank you so much GeekyZoee for allowing me use you for my story. I cannot wait to write more about you in the next chapter that is coming up.**

**Please review! :)**


	26. The Game Begins

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Okay, sorry about the wait once again, I'm still trying to get myself to write more chapters. Anyway, my friend, GeekyZoee, will be playing another big role for this chapter as it focuses on a very important scene between Cent and her character, Zoe. I would like to thank GeekyZoee for allowing me to use her for my story. It was an honor to use her for my story and create a character based off of her. Thank you GeekyZoee! **

**I'm not sure how many chapters will do done for this story, but I think we should be able to reach chapter thirty or maybe even over that. I think I got a conclusion that I believe will end this storyline on a satisfying level. And don't worry, Travis Shaw and John will have their little action time against each other. I love adding a little violence to romance stories. ;)**

**Anyway, Cent is forced to reveal her secret to Zoe. Shaw's plan for revenge finally becomes more dangerously real.**

**Just read and enjoy my next installment to my Jumper story. **

**And just a reminder, I own nothing! **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six:**

**The Game Begins**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent had forgotten the time as she talked with Zoe at the Starbucks restaurant. She had never been able to talk like this to anyone before, except for John.

It had been so long since Cent was forced to leave her best friend. And now she was given a second chance to explain everything to Zoe and show her the longest keep secret in the history of their friendship.

Some part of Cent found it hard that they made it this far. It seemed like yesterday that they were young and innocent little girls. Now they were fully grown teenagers, moving on with their lives.

Zoe was now going to college, being so far from home. She was learning so much about relationships and seemed to be doing pretty well for herself. As teenagers go, Cent would have to give her an A plus for the right choices. They may have been hard choices to make, but Zoe was capable of making the right ones and was a very strong girl. It was one of the many reasons that Cent and her were friends. They both were sweet and innocent, but they were also strong on the inside. They had what it takes to survive in this world.

Cent was learning to fall in love with someone and give the relationship everything she has. And John was giving it all he has too. But not only that, Cent was allowing herself to be vulnerable and free to her emotions. She spent most of her life turning her back on her feelings that she never once took a moment to actually enjoy them. John was able to help her with that.

Both girls were going through strange times, but at least they had each other now.

As their conversation continued, Cent just ignored the time and just enjoyed her moments with her best friend.

"I do have to ask," Zoe got excited. "Who is this _John Bale? _ And how in the world did he manage to steal my best friend's heart? I want to know everything there is!"

Cent smiled and said, "John is the most amazing guy I have ever met. I mean, he such a romantic! He took me swimming off the coast of-" She almost got lost in her words.

Zoe smiled and leaned forward on her side of the booth.

"Off the coast of where?" she asked. "Miami? Hawaii?"

Finally, Cent answered, "Italy..."

Zoe's eyes widened.

"Italy as in Italian Italy?"

Cent nodded, wondering what she had just done.

Zoe kept her huge eyes and her mouth dropped.

"Wow..." she was at a loss of words. "Is he rich or something?"

Remembering back to when John mentioned that his parents had a small fortune, one that could support him for a long time to come, Cent decided to use it. Besides, it was the truth. He was somewhat rich.

"His parents gave him their small fortune when they died," Cent explained. "You could say he is rich. But not super-rich or anything. He can like support himself for almost a full lifetime with that fortune, if he's careful with it that is."

"Wait, his parents died?" Zoe was now being shell-shocked with what Cent had said. "That's horrible!"

"I know," Cent bushed her hair back. "But he is super sweet and nice. The guy was like born to love a woman to death. In a way, he reminds me of my dad... only better. He listens to me and talks with me. We have never once argued and he is always taking my side. Not to mention that he has a smoking hot body too."

Both girls giggled.

"But that isn't why I fell in love with. I fell in love with him because I just know he is the one true love for me. And to make it better, he is completely in love with me too. He never once dated before and I know he is telling the truth. He's one of those guys you can just tell if he is lying or not. He makes me feel special. I've never felt this way around anyone before. Not even Jack. It's like I was meant to be with him. Like no matter what, distance can never separate us. When I look at him, I feel this love for him and I cannot help but want to be with him. I love him with all of my heart. I hope we get married one day and I have a child that has his eyes and face. I want to have a part of him to have with me all the time. I just... love him."

Zoe had tears falling from her cheeks as she reached over and took a tissue from her purse.

"I'm so jealous of you, Cent," Zoe joked as she wiped the tears away. "I hope I fall in love one day too. I want that feeling that you have. I want to find a man who is like John. I just wish it could come now."

Cent smiled and put her hand over Zoe's.

"You will," she reassured her best friend. "One day, you will meet a great man and fall in love with him. You will marry him and have children, grow old, and watch your family grow up too. You will spend the rest of your days with that special person and never be alone. And trust me, it may take a while for it come, but it will. You just need to look for it and keep looking until the day you finally that perfect man of your dreams. The world says that love is impossible, but they don't understand or know what love is. How can they? They haven't even experienced it. Trust me, you will find it one day."

Zoe sniffled and smiled.

"Thank you," she said with happiness. "I've missed these conversations with you. Remember when we would always sit together for lunch, class, under the trees after school? Just like good old times. Now we are moving on with our lives. Living life as it comes along. No longer little girls. Funny how life can be like that, huh?"

"Yeah," Cent smiled. "I just wish things turned out different when I left so suddenly. But then again, I think it was a good thing. I mean, we are now living in the same city again."

Zoe smiled and said, "True." Suddenly, her eyes widened with excitement. "In speaking of disappearing without a trace, you still owe me an explanation for what happened to you and to your family. Why did you guys leave? Who were those guys?"

Cent's heart raced as Zoe brought up the subject. She knew she needed to tell Zoe about her secret. A secret that she had kept from her since the day they met so many years ago.

"I will tell you, but I think it is better if I show you outside," she said. "Away from public. I want to share it with you. In fact, I've been dying to share it with you since the day we met."

Zoe got excited as she grabbed her purse and got up from the booth, grabbing Cent's hand.

"Well, come on," she dragged her up on her feet. "If this needs to be done outside, then lets go. I want to learn your darkest secret!"

Cent smiled as she grabbed her purse and allowed herself to be pulled towards the door and outside.

They both giggled together as they ran down the street.

"In here," Cent said as she pulled Zoe into a dark alleyway. "Okay, now no one can see us."

"Uh, Cent?" Zoe was getting nervous. "Why are we in a scary alleyway? I was thinking you wanted to show me something that involved outside."

Taking a deep breath, Cent jumped.

She appeared behind Zoe, who stood frozen where she was.

"Behind you," Cent said.

Zoe shot around, eyes big with shock.

After a few seconds of silence, Zoe finally spoke.

"How did you do that?" she asked, showing shock in her voice.

Cent looked towards the ground and said, "My parents and I have the ability to teleport anywhere in the world. We call it "jumping". We even came to call ourselves "Jumpers" as well." She jumped again, just a few feet from where she once stood. "I've wanted to tell you since the day we met. It killed me that I never got to tell you before, but my parents were so strict by how we shared our secret. I'm so sorry Zoe. Please believe me when I say that I've always wanted to tell you. I truly did."

Zoe remained still for some time and didn't move a muscle. Finally, her eyes widened again. But this time... with excitement and wonder.

"That is so cool!" she exclaimed. "How could you keep this from me?!"

Cent smiled and asked, "You aren't mad... or scared?"

"Scared?" she said like it was a stupid question. "How could I be scared? This is so awesome! I do admit, I'm a little angry that you never told me before! We could have jumped to other places around the world together! Like Paris! Or England! Or even freaking New York City! I do have to ask, are there more of you out there? Does John know?"

Cent swallowed and said, "Yes, there are more of us out there. Not like a ton of us, but there are more of us out there." She paused and swallowed again. "Zoe... John is a Jumper too. It was how I even met him."

Zoe's eyes widened even bigger this time.

"Wow... just... wow..." she shook her head. "Sorry, Cent, this is hard to process all at once, but I think I can manage. Now, my second question, who were those men who can after you?"

Cent explained the situation from so many years earlier, long before she was even born. Her father, David, had discovered his ability and used it to ran away from home at the age of seventeen and robbed a bank in order to provide for himself, stealing three million. She then went into detail about how her mom met David and their struggle to keep everything secret with his ability and also their relationship. But the government had discovered David and managed to use Millie in order to force him to work for them. She then explained that another organization kidnapped David and brainwashed him to do their bidding, while Millie discovered her own jumping ability and used it to save David and go into hiding with him, using the three million to stay hidden in Canada. How she, herself, came along and discovered her ability and how they moved to Seattle to start a new life. The rest of it was pretty easy to put together for Zoe.

Cent even explained more about John and the new organization known as Syndicate and their play with the murder of John's parents. And also Travis Shaw too, which was the most scary part of the conversation.

"So, Syndicate hunts Jumpers for the government, who happen to be top secret and John is the only one who ever escaped them?"

"Yeah, or at least from Travis Shaw," Cent explained. "Travis wants John dead because if the agency find out, then there will be a huge problem for Travis to figure out. The only reason they haven't found me and my family yet is because Travis is keeping everything covered up. He wants to kill John, including me."

"Why?"

"Because John is in love with me," Cent explained. "Travis feels that John has become less concerned with playing the game of hide and seek and that he's losing his awareness. Travis wants to kill him, but he also wants to do it in a way that proves he is better than him. John has beat him at his own game almost a million times and Shaw wants to kill him in a fair fight. Threatening me or killing me will set off John on a road for revenge."

"Considering that Shaw has already killed his parents, I'm surprised that he isn't going vengeful already," Zoe joked.

Cent smiled.

She loved how Zoe can be so normal in times like these. She could tell that it was her way of keeping her cool.

"John doesn't want to get revenge. Well, he does somewhere inside, but not fully. He wants to honor his parents by not taking revenge at all. But if he loses me, he will lose it and kill Shaw for sure. I saw it in his eyes. He lost his parents and it was hard enough for him. If he loses me, the pain will be too much."

Zoe nodded and looked towards the ground.

"I'm surprised that you are taking all of this so well," Cent said. "I was suspecting you to go all mad on me or something."

"Well, I'm not angry with you, but I do wonder how I couldn't have seen it," Zoe smiled at her. "I mean, now I understand how you managed to beat me to school all the time, not to mention how you managed to be first for lunch."

Cent's cheeks became red from embarrassment.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Cent joked.

Zoe raised an eyebrow and said, "Uh-huh, sure you don't."

Looking at the time on her cell phone, Cent's eyes widened. It was nearing six o'clock now.

"Oh, shit!" she said out loud.

Zoe frowned and asked, "What's wrong? Forgot you had a date or something?"

Cent looked at her and said, "I did actually. I was supposed to meet up with John about three hours ago. I got to talking to you for six hours straight that I didn't even realize it. I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut this meeting short."

Zoe smiled and said, "No need to apologize, I don't want to stand in the way of _true love_. But... can you do me a huge favor?"

Cent raised an eyebrow, smiled and said, "For an old friend, sure. What can I do for you?"

"Save me some crash and jump me to the university."

Cent laughed and said, "Of course! I know the area very well." She jumped towards Zoe and held onto her hand.

Zoe took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Ready," she replied.

Cent smiled and then jumped away to the college.

* * *

Just like that, they arrived at the university grounds.

Cent looked at Zoe and laughed. Seeing that she still had her eyes closed.

"Ride is over," Cent joked. "You can open your eyes."

Zoe opened them and let out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I'm not so familiar with the whole jumping thing, but I think I can get use to it over time."

They hugged each other goodbye.

"Promise we will keep in touch," Zoe whispered to her.

Cent smiled and said, "Sure, I promise I will. I'm not letting you get away again."

Zoe frowned, playfully, and said, "Uh, if I remember correctly, you were the one who got away last time, so it is me who should be _not letting you go again_."

They laughed at her joke.

With that Zoe began to work off to the dorms.

"See you some other time," Zoe called out.

Cent smiled again and said, "See you some other time too."

She jumped back to her bedroom.

* * *

By the time that Cent arrived back to her bedroom, she wasted no time as she rushed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her as she started to put on her make-up, wanting to look nice for John. She couldn't believe that she was already running late. She worried that was going nuts over her.

But... while the door was closed... a dark figured appeared from the closet and put it's back against the wall, right next to the bathroom door.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

There were days when Shaw hated waiting. But then there were times when he really enjoyed them as well.

His heart raced as he thought about dear young Cent. He imagined so many things that he could do to her. So many things that he _wanted _to do to her.

He had been waiting for Cent to appear for the last six hours and his excitement was getting bigger and bigger by the hour. He couldn't wait to finally get his hands on her and use the knife to cut her, to make her vulnerable from jumping.

At the same time, Shaw felt anger against Cent, as much as he felt excitement for her. He hated that John became so less interesting by falling in love with her, but yet, he loved how it made him more vulnerable in ways he didn't understand. This game was just getting exciting and so easy. Something that Shaw needed. He was tired of playing the game over and over. He wanted to be finish with John and move on.

Suddenly, just out of no where, he saw Cent appear in her bedroom. She rushed into the bathroom, not bothering to call for her parents or change.

Smiling to himself, Travis exited the closet silently and put his back against the wall, right where the bathroom door was. He took out his knife and prepared himself. He waited and steadied his breathing, controlling his heartbeat.

Time began to slow down.

And just like that, the bathroom door opened and Cent walked forward, not noticing him there.

Making his move, Shaw rushed forward and grabbed Cent from behind. One hand went across her mouth as she tried to scream for help. The other hand brought the night to her arm and he made a small, gentle cut, allowing the chemical to spill into her veins. He cut off her mouth and nose for oxygen and tightened his grip on her. He could feel her trying to jump, but he knew the chemical had already done its work. She was going no where.

Finally, Cent fell still in his grasp and very silent.

Shaw smiled to himself as he laid Cent on the ground.

Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen from the little table, he wrote something on it and then sat the paper at the edge of the bed, making sure it was visible to see.

Bending down, he moved his arms under Cent and picked her right up. He savored her perfume and make-up she wore, just enjoying her scent. He walked down the stairs and out the front door with her. He had no problem sitting her in his car.

Once he got in himself, he started the Mercedes and drove off, cheering to himself that he finally accomplished the one thing he has been trying to do for a while now. He had finally kidnapped the one person that John loved most.

Now... there was one last thing to do.

Shaw picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John had fallen asleep on the couch in the beach house. The small bag that had the ring he had bought was on his stomach as he slept.

He began to sweat as the nightmares returned once more. And with a sudden jerk, he awoke with a sweaty face and threw himself up, right off of the couch.

The bag fell to the floor.

Taking in his surroundings, John calmed down and picked the bag back up.

Looking at the time, he frowned as he saw that it was almost six thirty in the evening.

_Cent should have been here three and a half hours ago, _he said to himself. _Where is she?_

Finally coming to a conclusion that she was either spending time with friends or family, he went to the kitchen to make himself something to eat. He figured he would go each up on her at her house if she doesn't come within the next hour.

Almost every nerve in his body yelled the opposite to him. Making him think that Shaw had done something to Cent. But he forced the thought out of his head, not wanting to let his paranoia get the better of him.

Just as he was about to eat a bowl of cereal at the dinning table, his cell phone started to ring.

Smiling, he picked it up and answered.

"Hello beautiful," he said with excitement. "I was beginning to worry about you."

But the voice that he was expecting to hear back wasn't the voice he was hearing at all.

"Aww! You really do care about me!" the evil voice of Travis Shaw sounded through his ears. "What's next? A pair of flowers? Or maybe chocolate brownies? I really do love those."

Anger rose through John's body as he rose from the chair and moved outside on the porch.

"What do you want now?!" John raised his voice.

Travis started to play with him.

"How about a good old fashion surprise? I just love surprises. And better yet, I have one for you. Trust me, this one will completely blow you right off your feet. I just know it!"

"There is nothing that could get me to be surprised with you," John said as he looked towards the sun setting in the background.

"You wanna bet?" Travis laughed.

"Sure," John smiled his fake smile. "Only if it makes you go away. Like forever."

"Okay then, listen to this," his voice was replaced with the sound of heavy breathing, like someone was breathing in their sleep.

Slowly by slowly, John's face fell as he realized whose breathing it was. He recognized it by heart and soul. And it made his heart beat faster and faster as he heard it on the phone. The very breathe that made him sleep better at night was now making him be afraid.

_It was Cent!_

A tear fell from John's eye as he stood frozen.

"Hello!" Travis's voice reappeared. "Did I surprise you or what?!"

"Don't hurt her," John barely said. "I'll do anything you want. Anything. Just let her go and I'll do anything you want."

"Afraid I cannot do exactly that lover-boy," Travis's voice became serious now. "But I can offer you a deal."

"Anything," John tried to keep himself in control of his breathing and body. "Just name it and let her live."

Travis laughed in the background and said, "Okay, here is the deal, you come to me and you let me capture you. If you do it as a good boy, without making any hasty moves, your girl goes free. But... if you do anything that seems to make me nervous... well... lets just say that little Cent here isn't going to be breathing anymore."

John nodded and said, "Okay, you got a deal."

"I left a note in Cent's room," Travis explained. "It will give you an address and a time to be there and I advise you to listen closely. Do not bring anyone else along. If I think you have brought back-up, then I will kill Cent. So you better listen. Because I am in a mood of slicing someone's throat right now!"

"Alright, I promise!" John said, with sweat coming down his forehead and cheeks like crazy. His heart beating so hard in fear.

"Before I go," Travis spoke again. "I need to hear two little words. Two words that I know will have my full interest in."

"What?"

"I. Surrender."

John swallowed as he forced the words out of his mouth.

"I... surrender..."

"That's a boy!" Travis yelled in excitement. "And remember this, _the game begins _right now!"

With that, Travis hung up and dead silence took over.

John remained frozen where he was for the time being. He had never been this scared since the day his parents died in front of him. He couldn't lose Cent. Not now. Not ever. She was his true love and he couldn't live without her. She was his life now and Travis had her. He needed to ensure that she lived, even if he died.

Finally gaining control of himself, John jumped to Cent's home.

* * *

**Oh boy! Who is excited for the finale later on?! I am! I really cannot wait till we finally get to see Travis and John go head to head. I've been planning this moment for a while. I really hope you guys like it.**

**So, who thinks that Travis Shaw is indeed a great evil villain? ;)**

**Anyway, I want to specially thank Marie King and Rose for the amazing reviews they have been leaving me. You guys rock! Thank you so much!**

**Please review on what you guys thought of this exciting chapter. :)**


	27. Worth Dying For

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**And the final showdown between John and Travis begins. I really hope you guys like what I have in store for the next two to three chapter ahead. Despite that the rivalry between these two will finally end, I will continue on for a few more chapters to conclude everything else. I already have a conclusion in mind for our two lovers. As much as I _really _don't want to end this story, I will say that we have finally reached the beginning of the end. I will try to tie up all loose ends from here on out, starting with Travis Shaw and Syndicate. I want to make sure that Cent and John both get the _happy-ever-after _ending they deserve.**

**For those who loved the character, Zoe (who is based off of a dear friend of mine, GeekyZoee), I promise that she will return for another chapter before I finally end the story. ;)**

**Anyway, Cent is being held captive by Shaw. Meanwhile, John arrives at Cent's home to find the note that was left behind and makes the ultimate decision.**

**Please read and enjoy! **

**This is a special treat to Marie King and Rose, who have been great reviewers for my story! Thank you guys so much! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven:**

**"Worth Dying For"**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Everything felt weird to Cent as she began to regain consciousness. Her vision was blurry and her head felt dizzy. She couldn't think straight or even feel the rest of herself. It was almost like she was in a dream. Or at least a nightmare.

She couldn't quite remember what happened from before. Everything felt so weird and out of order. It felt like waking up in the middle of the day, unable to take in your surroundings.

Little by little, Cent began to regain her vision and even started to take in her surroundings. She began to realize that she was in a chair, in a large room. There was light and a window right in front of her.

Lifting her head, she came to realize that her hands were tied behind the back of the chair, her waist was tied as well, and so well her legs.

Fully awake and fully aware of everything, she looked around herself, studying her surroundings with all she could see.

Her father, David, taught her a thing or two about studying the building you are being held in when kidnapped.

David was once held captive against his will by a crime organization who wished to use him for their benefits. They discovered a way to hold him by drugging him, making his ability to jump useless. If he tried to think too hard, he would become sick from the drug and be unable to jump from place to place. It thanks to her mom who got him free from their gasp. It had turned out that she had the ability to jump too. Something that just seemed to run in the family now.

Cent didn't know who was holding her captive, but she didn't want to find out either.

She tried to jump to her room.

To her surprise, nothing happened.

Frowning, she tried again and nothing happened again.

She knew it wasn't because of a drag. She would have felt the affects holding her at bay from even thinking too hard.

_What is stopping me from jumping? _Cent wondered. _Who is holding me?_

Her eyes widened as she realized the answer.

"I do apologize for the sudden _kidnapping_," came a evil voice from behind her. "And don't even try jumping on my watch. The chemical that I cut into your arm will do its work for a couple more hours."

Cent's heart raced as she knew who was behind her.

_Travis Shaw!_

She heard him as he walked up from behind her. Her skin crawled at the noise of his approach. Everything that he was just made her hate him even more. He killed the parents of the boy she loves. Tried to kill him over the years, forcing him to hide and be alone. Shaw was the most evilest man that Cent had ever encountered.

Cent watched as Travis revealed himself and walked in front of her. She didn't bother to hide the anger.

Travis raised an eyebrow and said, "Quite the charmer, aren't you?"

"Why are you doing?!" Cent demanded to know. "Why can't you just leave John alone?! You already cost him his parents?! Just leave him alone!"

"I can't," he said. "Because John is my most greatest threat. He was the only one to escape me and now I will end what we started so many years ago. Now that I have the one thing he loves most, he will come to me. And I just cannot wait to drive my knife into his heart."

Tears appeared from Cent's eyes.

"Please!" she begged, sobbing even harder. "Don't kill him. I can't live without him. Take me instead. Have your vengeance be taken out on me. Just let him live. _Please!"_

Travis smiled and said, "Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure you two are reunited in the afterlife. I'm sure that death will grant you and lover-boy all the time to get smooching and grumping." He turned his attention to her arm. "At least thank me for patching up your arm."

Cent turned to what he was talking about and saw that her left arm was patched up from the cut that he had given her.

"I'm sorry for the little extreme cut from earlier, but I had to make sure the chemical had gotten far enough into your veins."

Cent looked back at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Answer me one thing," she said. "Why do you guys do the knives? Aren't guns any good? Or tranquilizers?"

"Guns burn up the chemical inside the bullet," he explained. "And tranquilizers don't go in far enough. Knives on the other hand, they provide the edge we need to have a Jumper out for hours. The cut allows the chemical to go deeper into the wound. It lets it get into the blood and into the system, allowing it to last longer. The chemical stops all activity for the Jumper to do his or her thing. It just makes you normal for the time being. And besides, I love using a knife. Its just so much more fun." He took out the knife from his pocket and played with it in his hand. "One thing I don't understand about you. Why is your first name Cent?"

Cent smiled and said, "My original name was supposed to be Mary Cent Rice. My parents wanted me to be named after my grandma, Mary Rice. But my father accidently wrote Cent first instead of Mary when he sighed my name on the papers at the hospital. Every since then, I've always been Cent Mary Rice instead. It's been a family joke since then."

"Well, we don't get to choose our names after all. But then again, I actually love being _Travis Shaw. _ I'm already a legend in the agency I work for. But I cannot wait to be known for killing John freaking Bale. I am a genius!"

"You're a freaking psycho!" Cent yelled at him. "Leave _my _John alone!"

Travis danced with excitement at her anger and ran up towards her, moving the knife around her cheek, barely touching the skin.

Cent tried to move back against the chair, scared of how he might do.

"I just love it when I kill young couples in love," Travis said. "I remember the moment when I killed John's parents. I couldn't stand the moment when I saw the love inside their eyes. Even their house had love written all over it. I just cannot stand the idea of love. It makes me _sick_."

"I guess that explains every single sick thing about you then," Cent joked.

Travis's face frowned at her as he pressed the knife into her cheek, but not enough to cut the skin.

"Joke all you want little girl, but I promise you that John will die when he comes up against me. I'm better than him. I've been trained to handle Jumpers. Where did he train? The only two things he knows how to do is hide and run."

"He knows how to be a gentlemen and live his life to the fullest in however way he can. He's ten times the man you are, Travis!"

With that, Travis brought his other hand around and punched Cent in the face, knocking her out cold.

"Come to me John," he whispered as he walked away from Cent and into the darkness ahead of the large room. "I'm waiting."

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John appeared in Cent's room, he rushed to the bed and found the note that Travis had left for him.

The note read:_ **Abandoned Warehouse 11 in Prier 6. Seven o'clock sharp! Better hurry!**_

Fear rush through him as he allowed the note to fall from his hands.

He knew where the warehouse was, but he wasn't entirely familiar with it. He couldn't jump inside the warehouse itself, he would have to approach it from the outside.

Before he could jump away, he heard laughing coming from down stairs.

"Cent?" came Millie's voice. "Cent, is that you?"

John sighed as he walked out of the room and down the stairs.

David and Millie were in the living room, laughing and talking after a trip from somewhere romantic.

John felt bad for them as they approached the living room. He couldn't believe that he had gotten their only daughter in danger and was being held captive by a madman. He knew the whole story about Cent's family and he hated himself for bringing a whole new situation on their heads, especially since they had just moved here. They had their own problems to worry about and he shouldn't have to bring the wrath of Syndicate or Shaw on their heads.

John appeared in the entrance of the living room and looked straight at Millie and David, who were too busy kissing and laughing at the same time.

Suddenly, Millie noticed his presence and became embarrassed.

"_John!" _she said out loud and fast.

Both her and David parted from each other.

"So sorry you had to see that," she said nervously.

John walked forward.

"Where is Cent?" David asked.

John looked at them again and allowed them to see the worry on his face.

Millie and David's faces dropped at the sight of his expression.

"John, what's the matter?" Millie asked.

John swallowed, allowing the tears to fall from his eyes, and said, "I'm so sorry that this had to happen to your family. Especially to daughter." He took in a breath. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"What's going on?" David asked, getting very worried now.

"Travis Shaw has kidnapped Cent," John admitted.

Millie and David sat frozen from what they had just heard.

"He came for her and took her," John explained some more. "He left a note telling me to come to him or she will be killed. He said that if he will let her live if I give myself up to him."

David shot up from the couch and demanded, "Where is he holding her?!"

"Mr. Rice, please listen to what I have to say..."

"I'm not going to sit here and let some madman kidnap my daughter!" David raised his voice. "We find him and take her back! And we end him!"

Millie grabbed David's hand, worried.

"Mr. Rice," John repeated. "I cannot allow you to die for my mistake. I promise that I will get your daughter back, but I need you to hear me out. Consider it my last request."

Calming himself down, David sat back down with Millie, still holding her hand and nodded towards John to continue.

John swallowed and said, "I'm so sorry for bringing all of this to your family. My first instincts when I met your daughter was to ignore her and not get involved. But I fell in love with her. All it took was one look into her eyes and my heart was captured by her. I knew that Shaw would find out somehow and would use her against me. I should have ran when I stayed. I should have turned my back on my feelings when I actually gave into them. Everything changed for me when I met Cent. She was the _one _and will always will be. I became normal again. I could enjoy life again. I was learning to live again. And most of all, I was able to love again. I owe everything to her and to you two for raising her into the woman she is now. I never met a girl who could actually be so amazing as her." His cheeks were wet from the tears.

Millie and David were touched by his words and were having tears of their own as well.

John continued.

"I'm so sorry for taking the most precious thing that Cent had. I've always believed in saving your virginity for your true love. And I'm happy that I was able to give mine to Cent. I know she is my one true love. But it isn't just me I worry about, it's her as well. I wanted her to have one true _romantic _experience with the man she will love for the rest of her life and I'm sorry that I cannot be that man now."

Millie's eyes widened with shock and asked, "What do you mean?"

John closed his eyes and tried to push the tears back.

"In order to ensure Cent lives, I must surrender to Travis himself and let him kill me."

Both David and Millie shook their heads in disagreement and stood up from the couch.

"We cannot let you do that!" David said, tears coming down his cheek. "You have been through enough pain and suffering to die now. Besides, Cent won't be able to live with you. I see the love inside her eyes when she looks at you."

"She loves you, John!" Millie ran up to him and took his hand. "I never seen my daughter have these feelings before. I _know _that you are her true love. The one and only. There cannot be anyone else for her. If you die, she dies. She cannot live without you."

"But I cannot allow you all to suffer because of my past," John looked her in the eyes. "At least I can do something right for once and allow myself to die for someone I love. She can live her life and move on. She can find someone better than me. Someone she can love again."

"But she cannot do that," David walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder. "Because she is in love with you. You are her life and she is yours. You two are each other's true love. No one else can change that. No one."

Tears ran down John's face as he looked back and forth between them.

"Thank you for allowing me to be part of this family," he said. "I'm happy that I got the chance to know what it feels like to love and care about people again. But I do need you to do something for me."

"Anything," Millie smiled.

Smiling back at her, John said, "I need you to make sure that Cent moves on with her life. I know it will be hard without me for now on. But I need you guys to help her find the will to live again and find love. Guide her to make a better life and move on. Tell her I will always be with her and that I will never leave her side. Tell her I love her and that I wish that the future could have been different for us. Tell her that I'm sorry for everything that has happened and that I was unable to be the man she could spend the rest of her life with. Tell her I love her so much. That she made everything worth living for. And that she _worth dying for. _Please do all of this for her."

Millie nodded and moved her hand up to touch his face.

"We will," Millie said as she cried. "Just make sure you come back to her. Do whatever it takes to win against Shaw and come back to Cent. She needs you."

John nodded and said, "I promise that I will try."

"At least let me come with you," David tightened his grip on John's shoulder. "We can take him on together."

"I mean no disrespect, Mr. Rice, but Travis Shaw is unlike any man or assassin you have ever seen. There is a reason he is known in the Syndicate organization. I cannot allow you to die because of me. This has to be between me and him. I will do whatever it takes make sure that Cent lives. I promise."

David nodded and said, "Just remember this, I've always considered you a _son. _I would have been damn proud to have you marry my daughter and be the man you are with her. Always remember that."

John nodded back and looked at the time, seeing that it was nearing seven now.

"I promise I will ensure her safety," he looked back at them and walked forward.

He turned back around and smiled at them.

"It was an honor to know you both."

Before they could respond, John jumped.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Travis Shaw waited at the window, concealed by the darkness of the room he was in.

Checking his watch, he saw the time had reached seven o'clock and smiled to himself.

Looking back over the pier, he suddenly saw John appear in the middle of the road, right under the light post.

Smiling to himself again, Shaw pulled out his knife and made way back to where Cent was.

_Let the games begin! _

* * *

**Whoa! Now this is getting exciting! Who is excited to see John and Shaw finally go head to head in the next installment? I do apologize with all of these cliff-hangers, but I promise to we will get straight to the fighting sequence in the next one. I promise. ;)**

**I special thanks to Marie Kind and Rose again. I really wouldn't have been able to do this without their amazing reviews and support. Thank you guys so much! :)**

**Please review! I really need to know how you guys feel about this chapter. **


	28. Life and Death

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**I am terribly sorry for the wait again. I've been having writer's block big time for the last few weeks. I hope I can get it under control. Terribly sorry for the wait. **

**The final battle between John and Shaw begins! The moment we all have been waiting for! Who will win? Who will die? Because someone isn't walking out of that warehouse alive! I just love building the excitement up to moments like this. Nothing can beat an old fashion one-on-one fight. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. :)**

**John and Travis face off in a final battle that has been building for years. Cent is forced to watch as the man she loves fights for her and his life. Meanwhile, a new, unexpected twist will change everything for Cent and John. **

**Here is chapter twenty-eight! Please read and enjoy! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight:**

**Life and Death**

* * *

**John:**

* * *

Everything was like slow motion for John as he appeared under the light post in the middle of the street of the pier. Time itself seemed to just move very slowly. The wind was blew a chill across John's spine, but he didn't notice. He didn't even take notice of the noise that was coming from the cargo ships and semis in the background of the pier. Nothing that was happening at the moment seemed to matter at all.

Looking ahead, John saw the warehouse where Cent was being held captive by Shaw.

His heart rate increased. He couldn't help but feel the fear of imagining Shaw holding Cent and possibly torturing her. But just as that same fear came, it was quickly replaced by anger. Anger that has been inside John's heart since the day his parents were murdered in front of him. The same anger that taught him to survive on his own. The same anger that kept him in the shadows and living alone for so many years. The same anger that was now being channeled against Shaw and for his wrong-doings against him.

Taking a step forward, John began walking towards the warehouse. He crossed the street and then began walking across the empty parking lot. Every step that John took felt like a life time. The distance from the door of the warehouse and him felt further away.

John knew about this warehouse. He came across it a few years ago, when he was trying to find a place to live. He remembered the pier very well, but inside the warehouse was like a blur.

_Damn you, Shaw!_ John thought to himself, but desperately wanted to yell it out.

John knew what Shaw was doing. He chose this place because he knew that John would remember the pier in order to get there, but he also knew that he could not remember the warehouse very well either. It prevented John from jumping inside and just taking Cent. Not to mention that the place didn't have much windows to go by. But even if it did have windows, there were rooms that he couldn't see into. Shaw had chosen his battleground very well.

Memories began to fill John's mind. He remembered his good old days with his parents, back when he was just a normal kid. A kid without the ability to jump. A kid who didn't have to worry about being seen jumping or on the run from people who want him dead. He also began to wonder what might have been if he never had the ability to jump. He wondered if his parents and he lived a happy, normal life. Going through high school, college, a career of his choosing, and later marrying and having a couple of kids. He wondered if he and Cent would have met under normal circumstances and somehow managed to be together.

So many memories and theories were running through his mind at once. It felt like he was trying to choose how his life would happen. Except that his life was chosen for him. Shaw killed his parents and sent him on the run for nearly six to seven years of his life. And the sad part about it, John had begun to lose memories of what it was like to live a normal life. He was beginning to forget how important it was to live life to the fullest and be happy. Even his memories of his parents began to fade away. He was losing the memories that should be remembering and remembering the memories that he should forget. He was losing his own humanity in the process of trying to survive against Shaw and the Syndicate. Little by little, he was losing himself to loneliness, paranoia, and nightmares.

But then it all changed when he met Cent.

Like a spark that could start a wild fire, every memory and every knowledge of what it was like to have parents, friends, and to live a normal life had come straight back to John when he met Cent for the first time in his life. He started to remember everything that he was supposed to remember. He was scared at first and also curious towards how one simple girl could change all of that. But then he realized that Cent wasn't just any simple girl. She was the girl!

John knew what he had to do. He knew that one way or another, someone was not walking out of this warehouse alive. This was life and death. He was going to have to kill Shaw in order to walk out of here and truly be free. Syndicate doesn't know much about his existence, so he was going to be safe from them. John didn't want to take a life or use vengeance as an excuse to kill Shaw, but he knew that it was something that his father would do. He knew that despite how much his father would avoid these situations, he would also do what was necessary to do the right thing.

John reached the door of the warehouse and placed his hand on the door handle.

_This is it!_ He told himself.

He twisted the handle and pushed the door open. He entered and closed the door behind him.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Excitement rose inside Shaw as he waited for his greatest adversary to come to him.

He checked up on Cent, making sure she was unconscious and alive. He also made a few more small cuts to ensure that she didn't get the chance to jump. He wanted the chemical to overrun her jumping ability.

Suddenly, he heard one of the doors to the warehouse being opened and he smiled to himself.

_He has finally come!_ he said to himself and pulled out his knife again.

Moving towards the darkness, he put himself in a spot that was almost impossible to see in this giant room. He knew that John would be too busy noticing Cent to look for him. He may hate love, but he loves using love against his opponents. As he waited in the darkness, he felt the excitement rise higher and higher. He was literally shaking now and his mind spinning out of control. He couldn't wait to finally kill John Bale! The one who got away!

Some part of Shaw couldn't help but laugh at how vulnerable John had become over the past couple of weeks. All because of one girl, who managed to capture his heart and soul. Before even Cent came along, John was one badass. Shaw always found it interesting that he never killed and yet was violent when he faced against Syndicate operatives. Back in the day, John had that look in his eyes. The look of a dead soul inside of him. No reason to live or to move on. No reason to remember the important memories but every reason to remember the bad ones. Shaw could tell that John was heading down a road that would turn him into something that very few men were. That was the John Bale that Shaw knew.

But then Cent came into the picture. She made him vulnerable and less interesting to Shaw; except for the part that John had fallen in love and found a reason to live again. It made everything more fun to just take it away from him. But Shaw hated that John was coming back to his old self again. That he was beginning to live again. But Shaw had a plan to knock that path right out of John's way and bring him back into the game again.

Shaw remembered the moment when he killed John's parents' right in front of him. It was the greatest moment of his life. He loved seeing the pain inside John's eyes when he saw it happen. And now, he was going to do it again. He was going to force John to watch Cent die right in front of him and then he will take his precious time with John himself. They had six to seven years of catching up to do.

Shaw could hear John coming closer and closer towards the center of the warehouse. His footsteps were silent but couldn't be completely quiet.

Suddenly, he saw John appear from the hallway and coming straight towards the light.

Getting his knife ready, Shaw prepared himself to strike at John.

_Welcome to your doom, John!_

* * *

**John:**

* * *

The moment John stepped out of the hallway and into the light of the center of the warehouse, he immediately saw Cent in a chair, tied up and unconscious.

His heart rate increased and his heart jumped. He more happy than ever to finally see her alive.

"Cent!" he yelled and jumped towards her.

Suddenly, just as he appeared in front of her, he noticed from the corner of his eye, a dark figure coming out of the darkness of the room and running towards him.

Before John had time to react, he felt the knife slash through his arm and also felt the cold steel of the razor-shaper edges cutting into his skin. Pain shot through him and he realized that the knife was carrying the chemical and was being released inside his arm.

Acting quickly, he made a jump across the room, just before the knife could drive the chemical any further and take full effect. He crashed against the cold floor and quickly put pressure on his wound.

Taking a look at the cut on his arm, he saw that the knife didn't go in too far and that the chemical didn't go all the way like it was supposed to. However, the chemical did do its work to keep John unable to jump for a matter of minutes, maybe an hour.

Suddenly, he heard the dark figure chuckling and footsteps from him as well.

John picked himself up and faced the figured, pulling out his own knife in the process.

John and the figure stared into each other's eyes and studied one another. They stood still where they were, taking in the moment and their surroundings. Two enemies finally coming face to face after so many years. One final showdown!

"Hello, John," the evilness voice of Shaw echoed off the walls.

John smirked and responded, "Shaw!"

Shaw smiled and observed the wound on John's arm. He smiled and said, "Looks like your jumping abilities are out of commission for a little while. No jumping around this time. It's just you and me."

"Then let it just be you and me," John said, preparing himself for any attack that Shaw might throw at him. "Let Cent go and we will finish what we started together. The chemical will prevent me from going anywhere for a while. Cent has no play in this. Let her go."

Shaw chuckled and waved his knife around like as if it was a toy.

"You stupid Jumper!" he yelled. "She is part of this! She is the reason that you have been acting all weird for a while now. I want you to watch as I kill her. When she awakens, I will drive this knife into his heart and you will watch as she dies before your eyes. Just like I did to your parents."

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF THEM!" John roared. His anger at its peak now. His heart, soul, and eyes were filled with hatred and vengeance.

Shaw saw this and smiled.

"There he is," he exclaimed. "There's the man I've been trying to bring outside of you for a while now. The killer side of you. The type of person I have seen since the day we first met. I saw the anger, the hatred, and the potential to become like me-"

"I'm nothing like you!" John interrupted, pointing the knife directly at Shaw. "You kill for pleasure and for fun. I never once killed anybody, and even if I did, it would be for good reason."

"Oh, come on!" Shaw yelled in excitement. "We both know that you have wanted to kill me ever since I murdered your parents. I saw it in your eyes. The need for vengeance. You only try to hold it at bay. You try to keep yourself from crossing the line and you tell yourself that you don't want to. But deep, deep down, you know that you want to." He smiled again. "So do it! Come and take your vengeance! See if it eases your pain!"

John felt his heart drop as he listened to the words from his greatest enemy. He somehow feel that Shaw was right. He does want vengeance. He has tried to say otherwise and think otherwise, but deep down, he does want vengeance. He always has.

Shaking his head, John responds, "True. I do want vengeance. But it isn't what I want that makes me who I am. It is what I do that does. My actions say otherwise. I'm nothing like you. Nothing. We are different. You're a killer. I have never taken a life before."

"Oh, don't worry," Shaw winked. "I'll make sure you either die or kill to survive. In the end, people always pick survival."

"Only because they defend themselves and kill if they have to," John countered. "I will kill you if I have to, but I won't if I don't have to. My father would have done the same."

"He didn't put up much of a fight when I killed him," Shaw said a harsh and teasing voice, half-smirking.

A tear appeared from one of John's eyes and felt his body shaking from the anger and the sadness that was rushing through his body.

"Tell me something John," Shaw walked forward a little bit. "What is it like to be a curse?"

John narrowed his eyes at him, confused.

"What is like to be a curse to those you love?" Shaw smiled. "I mean, you have the greatest gift in the world and yet, you always seem to be a curse too." He paused. "I mean, everyone you love dies when they are with you. Your parents. That Jumper friend of yours from Las Vegas. And finally, we have poor, innocent Cent Rice. Like the ability that you have, you are a curse to everyone you love, John! Pain, death, and suffering follow you everywhere you go. You will never be able to escape it. That's all you are John. A curse!"

Shaw's words stuck John hard as if they were baseballs or knives. He couldn't help but somehow agree with him. All of his memories of his parents came back in a second. He remembered his beautiful mother and his hardworking dad. The only family he had in his life. He remembered how life for him was normal and things weren't so different. But then things changed when he got the ability to jump. Even his own mother was scared of him for a little while, but somehow she managed to accept it and still love him as he was. But in the end, his parents were killed and he was alone. Now Cent was suffering the same fate.

Before John saw it coming, Shaw flipped the knife in his hand, holding the knife at the edge, he threw it directly at John.

Moving fast, John dodged and felt the knife missing him by mini-inches. He felt the blade go right pass him and hit the wall.

From the corner of John's eye, he saw Shaw running towards him and ramming his shoulder into his side, sending him hard to the ground. Shaw managed to flip him on his back, prepared to throw his entire weight on him.

Sensing what Shaw had planned, John brought his knees towards his chin, almost curled up as a ball. He positioned his legs and feet at Shaw, and with all of his strength, he launched his legs forward and into the chest of Shaw, sending him backwards and flying off the floor. John felt the pressure of legs hitting Shaw's chest and felt pain rushing through them.

Shaw crashed and slid against the ground, groaning in pain.

Taking the opportunity, John forced himself up and took picked up his knife. He ran at Shaw, preparing to stab him.

Without seeing it coming, Shaw brought his legs back and pressed threw them forward into the air, next he brought hands were above his head and pressed against the floor, and then used the strength of his back to throw his entire body upward. He came up and landed on his feet. With the force of his kick, he knocked the knife out of John's hands and engaged in a hand-to-hand combat fight with him.

John trained at a karate class, but his training and skills were nothing compared to what Shaw was getting from Syndicate.

Creating fists out of his hands, he got in a defensive position and waited for Shaw to make the first move.

Shaw faked a punch and brought his leg forward, aiming at John's stomach.

Seeing it coming, John barely dodged and brought his fist into the jaw of Shaw. He heard a loud crack and delivered another punch into his stomach. But he failed to see the on-coming elbow to the top of his head from Shaw and quickly started to lose vision.

Suddenly, John felt Shaw get him into a headlock and was forced to fall to his knees from the pressure of Shaw's kick to behind his knees.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you yet," Shaw whispered into John's ear. "You'll awaken to find me stabbing your pretty little girlfriend and then I will kill you."

John tried to elbow Shaw, but couldn't aim far enough back and Shaw had him a great position. He was losing oxygen and consciousness by the second. In a few more seconds, he will pass out.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent didn't know much on what was going on, but she could hear fighting in the background of her dreamless dream. When she finally managed to open her eyes, her vision was blurry and her body felt numb. Her hearing was a little weird and could only hear the sound of punching, kicking, and moaning.

Finally, her entire hearing and vision came back after a few seconds and shook her head, trying to take in her surroundings.

Suddenly her eyes widened at the sight on John being in a headlock by Shaw.

"NO!" she screamed and struggled to free herself from the chair. "Leave my John alone!" she screamed at Shaw.

Cent saw something right next to where her chair was and looked down. A knife was only a foot away from where she was.

Getting an idea, she began to rock herself, back and forth, trying to aim where the knife was. Finally, gained enough momentum to make the chair fall. Cent's body ached as the chair fell to the ground, sending a little bit of pain through her side. Focusing on the knife, she reached for it and was able to use the tips of her fingers to pull the knife towards her.

Once the knife was in her hand, she begins to cut through the tape, trying to hurry.

Hurry up girl! Cent told herself. John needs you!

* * *

**John:**

* * *

Very close to passing out, John thought he heard Cent's voice in the background. Whether it was a hallucination or not, the sound of her voice suddenly gave him power again. He felt some of his strength return and with all of his strength, he managed to move one of his legs off his knee and position his foot on the ground.

Shaw tightened his grip and pressed his weight into John, trying to make him collapse.

Fueled by anger, John struggled against Shaw some more and realized that Shaw's right side is vulnerable now. Bringing his elbow into Shaw's ribs, he heard a few cracks and felt Shaw's grip loose for a split-second.

Taking advantage, John used Shaw's weight against him and grabbed him by his arms, bringing him over his shoulder and onto the ground.

Ignoring the pain in his back, Shaw grabbed John by the foot, just as he John was trying to back away, and forced him to trip on his back. Forcing himself up, Shaw stood over John, trapping his arms with his feet, putting his weight on them.

With his body in huge pain, vision blurry, and arms and legs useless at the moment, John was trapped.

Looking up at Shaw, John saw anger in his eyes and his teeth were clashing hard together.

"You know what?!" Shaw yelled as he reached into side of his shoe and pulled out another blade. "I've just had enough! I think I will kill you right now! Just know that your little girlfriend is next! So get ready to see more of her in the afterlife!"

John's eyes widened as Shaw raised the knife with both of his hands, prepared to stab him in the heart.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

It took longer than she suspected, but Cent was able to cut through the tape and free her hand. It wasn't long to get her other hand and legs free as well.

Once she was out of the chair and on her feet, she saw Shaw standing over John, trapping him. But when she saw him raise the knife that was when she rushed forward and prepared to ram herself into Shaw, praying that she will make it in time.

Time seemed to go in slow motion as she sprinted with all of her might. Tears running down her cheeks and her heart pounding like thunder.

* * *

**Shaw:**

* * *

Shaw couldn't believe that it was finally happening. He was standing over John Bale himself and had him trapped. He had the knife in his hands and fully ready to drive it into his heart. He couldn't wait to see John's eyes when the knife cuts through his skin and heart, and finally see the look in his eyes when he finally dies from the wound. It all seemed all so too good to be true.

As he held the knife in the aim and getting ready to bring the knife down on John, he felt time slow down, and his anger was replaced by excitement for what was going to happen next.

Suddenly, he felt pain on his left side and he felt himself falling to the ground. The knife fell from his hands and he crashed against the ground. His mind was spinning and wondering what had happened.

Feeling that someone was on him, he looked up to see Cent getting off of him and preparing to run towards John.

Anger returned and he reached out, grabbing her by the foot and forcing her to fall to the ground. Flipping her on her back, he got on top and grabbed the collar of her shirt. He brought his face inches from hers and breathed hard with anger.

"You ruined everything!" he screamed at her. "Now you die!"

Reaching into the back of his other shoe, he pulled out a second knife and forced the knife against Cent's throat, preparing to cut her.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John had seen Cent ramming to Shaw and driving them into the ground away from him. Allowing himself to recover as much as he can, he saw the knife that Shaw had dropped and grabbed it with his right hand. Forcing himself up and ignoring the pain, he saw Shaw getting on top of Cent and putting the knife against her throat.

Anger rushed through him and he sprint forward, getting the knife in a better grip with his hand.

Without warning, he used his other hand to grab Shaw by the back of the shirt and yank him off of Cent and throw him back against the ground.

Not even taking a breath, John readied the knife in his hand and again, sprints forward. He knew what Shaw was going to do and was counting on it.

Shaw threw himself back up and ran towards John.

Acting on instinct, John brought his hand, with the knife forward and drove it into the chest of the on-coming Shaw, directly into his heart.

Shaw's eyes widened and he looked into John's eyes. He smiled and began to laugh.

John let go of the knife and backed away, tears coming down his cheeks, his body shaking, and his heart racing. As much as he hated and wanted Shaw to die, taking in the fact that he had just stabbed him in the chest was very hard to take in at the moment. He breathed hard and struggled to keep himself from falling to his knees.

Blood came out of Shaw's mouth and his breathing became loud and hard, which made his laughing hard to handle.

"Well played, John," he barely spoke. "You finally did what I've said would happen. Either die or kill to survive. Looks like you finally killed for the first time."

More blood came out of his mouth and his legs were beginning to give out.

With his final words, Shaw said, "I told you that you would end up like me. All alone and cursed." He paused and then said for the last time, "See you in hell, John..."

Shaw's body fell backwards against the ground and remained still where he was. Travis Shaw was dead!

John allowed the tears to come and fell to his knees, sobbing.

Killing Shaw wasn't what saddened him; it was the fact that he has killed someone that was getting to him. Nearly seven years after being on the run and not even killing on Syndicate operative, John had finally killed the one man who killed his parents and left him alone in this world. John never wanted to kill anyone in his life and still didn't want to. But now he was beginning to feel nothing but anger and happiness that Shaw was dead. And that was beginning to scary him.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms go around his chest and felt someone breathing behind him. The same pair of arms tightened their grip around him and felt lips kissing the side of his cheek. Lifting up his hand and stroking the cheek of the person behind him and then resting it on top of the person's hand, he began to sob some more.

"John... I'm so sorry that you had to do that..."

The sound of Cent's voice made him feel a little bit better, but the pain and fear was still there.

"You did what you had to do," Cent whispered again. "If you hadn't he would have killed you... and me as well."

John closed his eyes as hard as he could and then opened them, with more tears.

"He's right...," John sniffled. "I'm a curse. All I ever bring is death and suffering to everyone I love. My parents are dead because of me and you almost died because I couldn't listen what my mind was telling me to do. The first time I met you, I knew that I would bring only trouble, but I was curious and I wanted to know you more. I fell in love with you and I ended up endangering you in the process. My feelings make me weak..."

"No, they don't!" Cent came around and faced him, holding both sides of his face with her hands. She got to her knees and said, "You aren't a curse, John. You are a victim of what Shaw and Syndicate have done to you. Your feelings make you strong! They make you who you are! Our love for each other save you from becoming like Shaw and it also saved me from believing that could never have a relationship or fall in love. You aren't at fault for what happened to your parents or to me. Shaw is! And now, he is dead and punished for what he has done." She paused and stroked John's face and hair, wiping away the tears. "You aren't him. You have the kindest heart and you are one of the greatest boyfriends to ever live."

With that she pressed her lips against his and moved her arms around his neck.

John kissed back and moved his arms around her back, and pressed his body against hers.

When they parted, they smiled and pressed their foreheads together.

After a small while, Cent helped John to his feet and together, holding hands, they walked away from Shaw's body and down the hallway towards the door that leads outside. Once opening the door and exiting, they are met with headlights from a dozen black SUVs and a bunch of Men-in-Black, who were surrounding them with automatics and their faces concealed by the lights from the SUVs.

Cent tightened her grip on John's hand and asked him, "John? Who are they?"

John swallowed and said the one word he never thought he would have to say in a time like this.

"Syndicate."

* * *

**Ahhhhhhh! Sorry, I just couldn't help with the cliff-hanger. I thought it was a great place to end for this chapter.**

**In speaking of this chapter, who loved the fight scene between John and Shaw? Anyone loving the fact that Shaw is dead now? Okay, at least tell me that the moment between John and Cent was romantic and beautiful. ;)**

**Okay, well, I think we nearing the end now. I know I said that a while back, but I'm not sure when the final chapter will come. There are still a few things to tie up and also for the biggest event for Cent and John yet.**

**I would like to thank Rose, Marie King, and GeekyZoee for the amazing reviews that you guys have left for me and for my story. You guys rock! :)**

**Please review on what you thought. :)**


	29. Truly Free

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Okay and we are back once again for the next installment! ;)**

**In this chapter, we will see a whole new twist in this story that will change everything for Cent and John. We have finally met up with the organization known as "Syndicate", who we have met on far distance special occasions, but now we get a close up and a huge decision is made that will decide the fate of Cent and John. I hope you guys like what I have in mind.**

**After the death of Travis Shaw, both Cent and John meet a powerful figure in the organization of "Syndicate" and a decision will be made. Can our two favorite heroes actually survive against the most powerful organization in the world? **

**Please enjoy reading the next installment to the story! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine:**

**Truly Free**

* * *

**John:**

* * *

Usually, a normal person would freak out at the sight of men with machine guns pointed at them, but John wasn't exactly normal. He had been in these types of situations more than once before. Perhaps too many times.

Cent was scared and soon had her arms around his waist, burying her face into his side.

The Men-in-Black remained where they were, their weapons pointed directly at them. The SUVs all formed half of a circle around the building, their headlights beaming right at them.

John tried to make out just how many of the Syndicate operatives there were, but there was too much light to figure that out.

As much as John wanted to just jump away, he couldn't. The chemical was still at work inside his veins. There was perhaps still a few more minutes left or more until the chemical is too weak to keep him from jumping.

"John...," Cent barely could speak. "...what do we do now?"

John shook his head and said, "I don't know. But I don't think they want us dead. In fact, I don't think they know who we are. They might let us go."

"How do you know?" Cent looked up at him.

John smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Because Syndicate operatives are supposed to take the shot at any Jumper, at any time they get," he explained. "And judging how these guys are just taking their time, I'm guessing that they're trying to make a decision about us. Syndicate maybe an evil organization, but they don't like leaving behind a huge mess. Two teenagers are something they don't want on their list of problems at the moment."

Cent nodded and buried her face back into his shirt, not wanting to see what happens.

John looked on and waited for the men to do something.

What are they waiting for? John asked himself.

The SUV in the middle of the half-circle pulled up and came closer to them. It stopped just thirty feet away, with about six Syndicate operatives guarding it. The passenger door opened and a mysterious man appeared, dressed like the rest of them. But John could tell that there was something very different about him. He didn't carry an automatic or any weapon of sorts. He straightened out his suit and closed the door.

John tried to see who the man was but the light from the SUVs were blocking all the faces of who were surrounding them. John kept his arms around Cent, wanting to keep her safe in his arms.

The mysterious man walked forward, past the SUV and continued on towards John and Cent. Two of the guards followed him from behind.

John watched as the man's face was finally revealed.

Unfortunately, the man was not someone that John knew which made him more uncomfortable about the guy.

The man stopped walking when he was about fifteen feet away from John. He had no expression and just stared at him and Cent.

After a few seconds of silence, the man spoke.

"So, this is the great John Bale," the man raised an eyebrow. "And you are the one who Travis Shaw feared some much?"

John didn't return the look and just said, "And you guys are the same people who murder Jumpers and their families for a living?!"

Cent turned her head to see the man herself.

The mysterious man chuckled and said, "Shaw was the one who murdered Jumpers and their families, we don't. We hate living behind messes. In fact, it is part of the rules that we follow." He paused and rubbed his chin. "There are rumors that we capture and experiment on Jumpers, well, they're wrong. We don't kill or experiment on them; we turn them into government operatives. The scientists erase their memories and replace them with ones that don't exist. Only a very few people know about that."

"Why are you telling me?" John asked.

The man smiled and said, "Because my organization wants  
to thank you for handling Travis Shaw for us." He coughed. "Shaw has been breaking many protocols and rules for his own personal gain. He broke twice as many to get to you. Even going as far as to kill one of our own."

John's eyes widened. That was news he never heard before.

"Shaw thought he could get away with it, but we're Syndicate, we know everything goes on with our agents."

"Why would Syndicate want to thank me?" John was confused.

"Because Travis Shaw had to be dealt with. We couldn't kill him ourselves. Killing Shaw would have caused a huge riot in our organization. There are people who are followers of Shaw and do what he does in the field. And we also couldn't reveal his actions of killing a Syndicate operative; it would have set things off with our directors. We were on our way to bring him in for question, until we heard the fight between you and him." The man smiled. "We know that you killed him, John. My organization wants to thank you for handling a situation that was far beyond our control. My organization has made a decision about you."

John raised an eyebrow and asked, "And what is that?"

"We will ease all attempts to capture you," the man said. "You will be allowed to go on as you please and live your life in peace. It's our way of gratitude and also repaying our debts."

For once, John was shocked and stunned.

"Why?" John couldn't help but ask.

"We maybe an organization that does horrible things for the right reasons, but we always repay our debts. You did us an honor by killing Shaw and now he isn't much of a problem anymore. My organization will clean up the mess and are allow you to go. And by the way, enjoy the summer vacation." He winked and turned to the vehicle, getting back in.

Some of the men-in-black walked right past John and Cent and walked inside the warehouse, not bothering about them.

Taking it as their moment to leave, both Cent and John walked away from the warehouse and down the street of the prier. When John felt the chemical wear off, he tightened his grip on Cent's hand and jumped.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent was never happier to be home again.

As John jumped them into her bedroom, she couldn't help but embrace John and allow a few tears to fall from her eyes. She chuckled some more and tightened her grip on John harder.

John returned the favor and kissed her neck.

"What just happened?" Cent asked as they parted.

John chuckled and said, "I think Syndicate has finally agreed to stop chasing me. Despite that they didn't know about me until today, they must have been so happy to have Shaw out of their hair that had decided to reward me by promising to never come after me again." He laughed and said, "I think I'm free now."

Cent cried some more and hugged him again.

"Cent?! John?!" Millie's voice came from the doorway as she busted right in, along with David.

Once they saw them, they didn't hesitate to ran towards them and give a big old hug to both of them. It was like one family hug.

Millie gave Cent a big old bear old and said, "Are you alright honey?"

Cent nodded and hugged her mom back.

"Yes, mom, I'm fine."

David hugged her next and then asked, "What about Shaw?"

John's smile disappeared as he answered, "He's dead. He won't be a problem anymore. And either will Syndicate either."

David understood what he meant and nodded in agreement, not carrying the conversation any farther.

Millie suddenly grabbed John and hugged so hard he thought he heard a few ribs cracked.

"I'm so happy you are okay!" Millie said.

John smiled and hugged back. He allowed one small tear to fall from his eye. He never received a hug like in a long time. Not since his mother died.

Cent couldn't help but cry as she watched this happen before her. She could tell that John was still trying to get use to the whole thing, but he seemed to recognize it very well.

Next, David moved Millie out of the way and gave John a hug as well.

"Thank you so much for my daughter's life," he said. "You are indeed her true love... _son_."

John didn't even try to hold back the tears and just allowed it all to come out.

Once David and him pulled apart, Millie clapped her hands and said, "Okay, first night of summer and I call it. Ice scream!"

Cent rolled her eyes and playfully punched her on the shoulder, "You got it mom!"

Without another word, they all hurried down stairs to the kitchen, where the Vilonia and Chocolate ice scream was waiting for them in the freezer. While David and Millie shared the Vilonia, both Cent and John shared the Chocolate, who playfully feed each other the ice scream at a time.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

That night, while everyone went to bed, both John and Cent slept together in Cent's bedroom. They held onto each other and stroked each other's cheeks and hair, which also included a kiss every now and then.

Cent knew that her parents didn't have any trouble with John staying over, but she asked anyway, just loving hearing the word yes from them. John laughed everything she would repeat the question to annoy them.

While it was near two in the morning, both of them couldn't fall asleep. It was almost impossible to after what just happened.

As John stared up at the ceiling, he felt Cent tighten her arms around his neck and kiss his cheek.

"Thank you," she said in a warm and beautiful voice that John always loves hearing.

"For what?" he asked.

"For saving me and protecting me," she said. "I know I'm one big pricy girlfriend, which just happens not to money kind of pricy."

"You're not pricy!" John chuckled. "I would travel to the end of the world and back if I have to rescue you. All I want is to be with you forever. Just as long as you want me to be with you, I will always be there. I promise."

Cent smiled and said, "I know. I love you."

"I love you, too."

After kissed and Cent rested her head on his chest, just loving the sound John's heartbeat. John loved holding her in his arms and being there to protect her.

"John?" Cent asked a few minutes later.

"Yes?" John smiled.

"Is all of this real?" she asked. "Shaw is gone. Syndicate is no longer a problem. Is all of this really happening?"

John nodded and said, "Yes, my darling, it is real. Just as real as this." He leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

After a little while longer, Cent finally fell asleep.

John stayed awake for a little while longer and just stared into space.

For so long, John had been on the run from Shaw and the evil organization of Syndicate. But now, Shaw was dead and Syndicate was finally out of his life for good. Without having them as enemies anymore, John finally saw the world differently. It seemed bigger and things felt way safer.

For once in John's life, he was _truly free_.

* * *

**Whew! Man, this story is really getting good by the minute! I cannot wait to get to the good stuff next! We still have some more things to cover up. ;)**

**Okay, who is happy that John and Cent are finally free of all of the villains now? Travis Shaw and Syndicate are all gone forever. No more twists and turns, at least none that are always taking a turn for the worst anyway.**

**A special thanks to Marie King, Rose, and GeekyZoee for their beautiful, wonderful reviews! Thank you guys so much!**

**Please review on how you liked the chapter! :)**


	30. The Aftermath

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**And we are back for more in chapter thirty people! Can you believe that we have finally made it to number thirty already? We first began this story almost four months ago and now, here we are. I love it when a small story ends up turning into something else. Evolving into something completely dirrerent than how it began. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far and just loving Cent and John as a couple. For those of you who are wondering, the hard times for our two lovable characters is indeed over and now it is time to move onto finally ending this story. In speaking of which, chapter thirty is both a special occasion and the beginning of the end (in a way). I will do maybe two or three more chapters after this and then it will be the end of it. But for right now, lets just enjoy and celebrate our thirty 'completed' chapters. ;)**

**Recovering after the events with Shaw and Syndicate, John is experiencing life for the first without worrying or being on the run. With Cent's and John's love for each other growing more stronger, John makes a decision that will change everything. Also, John and David have an emotional conversation and realize just how much alike they really are. **

**Ladies and gentlemen! I present to you! Chapter Thirty! ****Please enjoy the special occasion and enjoy reading! :)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty:**

**The Aftermath**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Nearly an entire month passed since Cent and John managed defeat Travis Shaw. An entire month into the summer that has turned out to be Cent's greatest summer in her life. And during that same month, Cent saw great developments in and out of her relationship with John.

True to their word, it seemed that Syndicate was indeed staying out of their lives and away from John. In fact, they seemed to have disappeared, along with the body of Shaw, never to be heard of again. Secret societies like Syndicate always scared Cent to her core. One of her father's enemies was a secret organization and they kidnapped him. It just scared her that there were people out there who would ruin other lives in order to get what they want.

As for John, he seemed to be struggling to allow himself relax and go to public places without looking over his shoulder. Cent would find herself tearing up by seeing him experience this new found peace in his life. It wasn't that he didn't want that peace, it was that he had spent so many years on the run that it literally became his life. It was hard for him to reclaim his place as a social person again. But Cent did what she could to make sure that she helped him in any way that she could. She wanted to help John through this and start living the life he once knew before all of this.

But somewhere deep down, Cent knew that John would never be able to live like he once did with his parents. She could see it in his eyes. The permanent damage that was caused by Shaw and Syndicate. The same damage that meant he could never go back to that same life as a normal person. But then again, Cent and her family weren't exactly normal either.

Both John and Cent exited the _'Cinemark 12 Theater'_ and walked back to her car, holding hands and giggling together from the comedy movie they had just saw. The movie was one of them _'Adam Sandler'_ comedies, along with some other well-known actors who also starred in the movie too. Despite that Cent and John both agreed that Sandler's old movies were better, they also thought that he was still one hell of a actor to make everyone laugh.

It was a Friday night, just a regular date as they like to call it. Cent wanted to see the new romantic film with Keira Knightley, but she felt bad for John, knowing that despite how much of a romantic he can be and also his love of romantic movies, she knew that he was getting a little tired of romance films and decided to see a comedy instead.

Just as they reached Cent's red BMW, Cent grabbed John by his shirt and yanked him towards her, spinning him around and having his lips meet hers.

Ignoring the people passing them, they moved their arms around each other, locking themselves in one embrace, refusing to let go. Their kiss was soft and sweet, but it wasn't long until John started to press his body against Cent's, forcing her back into the side of her car, and their kiss was becoming hard and very powerful in almost every way. John moved his hands down Cent's sides and stopped at her hips. Cent's hands went around John's back, pushing him more against her.

A small kid came running pass them but stopped and turned to look at them. His eyes widened and made a face that said he was about to throw-up. He turned back around and ran back to where he came from.

"MOMMY!" the kid yelled. "Those two weirdoes are doing what those people do on tv!"

Cent and John had heard him loud and clear, and couldn't help but laugh at his words. While they didn't open their eyes or turn to where the kid ran, they just smiled and held onto each other. Just enjoying the moment that they were having together. Not a care in the world about what others thought.

But just as they were enjoying the peace around them, Cent could feel that John's attention was drawn else where. She opened her eyes and found him studying his surroundings, looking over his should and having an expression that showed that he was nervous and going into safety-mode for the moment. While he still had his arms around her and his body against hers, his full attention was not at her for the moment.

Cent used her hand to touch his cheek and bring his eyes to meet hers. She stared into them and then kissed him on the lips.

"Be here with me," she whispered. "I know you are still paranoid and worried, but please... just let it go for once." She stroked his cheek again and smiled. "Shaw is dead and Syndicate has agreed to leave you alone. It's all over. Stop fighting a fight that you have won and please, just be here with me." She paused. "I love you so much."

John smiled and leaned in, kissing her on the lips. He moved one hand behind her neck and another on her other cheek.

"I love you so much too," he said and put his forehead against hers.

Cent smiled and said, "Come on. Lets get back home. Don't want mom and dad to get worried all of sudden." She winked.

John winked back and delivered one more kiss.

Cent got in the driver's seat and started the car, while John got in on the passenger's side. Without another warning, Cent stepped on the gas pedal and drove out of the parking lot and onto the highway to head home.

Cent was once told by Zoe that she thought she was crazy for driving around when she can jump to any place she wants. But Cent really enjoyed driving her car around Los Angeles. It was her sense of freedom and stress relieving for her. Sure, she may jump herself and the car to other cities around the world and just drive. John would also have fun driving as well, but Cent wasn't so secured with his ''_driving'' _skills. But that is a different story.

For the past month, Cent found herself more connected to John and more in love with him than ever before. With no more enemies coming at them, they were allowed to do things that they couldn't do before. They could take walks in the most public places without being nervous or cautious.

_The aftermath_ of everything that has happenedwas both easy and hard for our Cent and John to take in. While they did enjoy having a new sense of freedom, John was still having that same paranoia as before. But with Cent's help, John was recovering just fine.

As Cent drove along the highway, she looked at John and smiled. She reached across and took his hand, intertwining their fingers with each other.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John laid on Cent's bed, his hands entertwined with Cent's, as she rested her head on his chest, enjoying his heartbeat and smiling each time she heard it. John stared at her, noticing all the small details that he just loves seeing.

He loved how she took each breath as she slept and how her smile grew bigger from the sound of his heartbeat. He loved how her hair on his shoulder, just loving the color and the feeling of it. He would smile even more whenever she moaned or made movement.

_God, I love you! _John said to himself.

Reaching up with one of this hands, he stroked her cheek and hair, just enjoying the feeling of her. He loved smelling her beautiful scent and just staring at her. He felt like he could remain like that forever and just never leave.

Finally, John managed to sneak off of Cent's bed, without waking her up. He moved so slow that it felt like an eternity when he finally slipped out the door and down the stairs of the house. Slipping on his shoes, he exited the back door and walked into the back yard. He felt like getting some air.

As he stood in the middle of the yard, concealed by the darkness of the night and his eyes closed, one thought kept coming to his head and he could get it out now. He spent the entire month trying to hold off of doing what he wanted to do, but felt that it wasn't the right time. After everything with Shaw and Syndicate, he didn't think it was the right time to ask the one _question _that he was planning to ask Cent a full month ago.

But as he thought, he also began to remember Shaw and his threats against him. Despite that he knew that Shaw was dead, he could feel that fear coming back and just tearing him apart on the inside. Tears formed in his eye and the memories came all at once. They seemed louder and more violent than ever. Just making him become more afraid.

"John? What are you doing out here?"

Snapping back to reality, John spun around, preparing to bring out his knife if he had to. But just as he looked behind him, he saw David Rice right behind him, in his pajamas.

Normally, John would laugh at the sight of a grown man in blue pajamas, but given the situation he was experiencing, he wasn't in the mood of laughing at all.

David raised an eyebrow and asked, "You alright?"

John calmed down and retreated the hidden knife back into his sleeve.

He nodded and said, "Yeah, just getting come fresh air."

David nodded and responded, "If I didn't know any better, I say that you were about to have a panic attack there. I could see your body shaking. Not to mention your eyes were wet from crying when you turned towards me." He paused. "What's the matter?"

John shook his head and said, "Trying to get things straight right now. Nothing feels... right anymore." He paused as he stared towards the ground and back up at David. "I mean, when I was on the run, everything was cut and run, plain and simple for a guy like me. Now I'm no longer being chased and my enemies are gone now." He paused and shook his head again. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling now."

David nodded and walked forward, stopping a few feet from John.

"I know what you mean," he said. "When I ran away from my father all of those years ago, I escaped the punishment that he always gave me. But once I had done that I had no idea what to do next. Ended up robbing a bank and living off of bank money for a while after that. But then I met Millie..." He smiled as he said her name. "... the love of my life. I guess you could say that things were good and bad after we started a relationship. But all of it got better when I told her my secret as a Jumpers. It made us closer together as a couple and later on, marriage. But no matter what, a decision must be made about what you do next and how you want to live. But I can also tell that your situation is worse than mine."

John stared at him, nodding in agreement.

"Cent told me your whole story," John said. "From the government using you, to secret terrorist organizations kidnapping you, and then going into hiding soon after. But there was one story that I could help but actually find fascinating." He looked into David's eyes again. "Cent once told me about you losing your mom to a terrorist named Rashid Matar. The same terrorist responsible for a series of plane hijackings and bombings as well. I couldn't help but notice how much we both are alike in some ways. We both lost loved ones for a long time ago."

David lowered his head as he remembered that moment from as long ago.

"Yes, that is true," he confirmed. "It was a long time ago, about twenty-eight years by now. My mom was out on a business trip for the company that she helped run. Long before that, she ran away from my father when I very little. My father was one bastard for who he was. He beat my mother all the time and sometimes me as well. It was after my mom left that he turned his attention to me. But anyway, years after my mom left, she married a man named Mr. Niles, who I don't remember his first name anymore. Never really knew him that well. She became rich through the company that she helped run for him and started living a full life that she always dreamed of. Almost a year after I ran away from my father, we finally met for the first time in years and rekindled our relationship. I was mad at her for leaving me and wondered why she never came back for me. But then I learned that she did but couldn't gain custody of me from my father, who refused to allow her to see me. Both me and my mom started to grow more closer to each other than ever and kept I good contact with each other too..." He stopped as tears appeared in his eyes.

John knew what was coming next. He felt this more times than he could remember.

David wiped away the tears and continued, "After Millie and I broke up after I revealed my jumping ability, I watched a live footage on CNN about a terrorist hijacking of a plane that my mother was on. The leader, Rashid Matar, started executing prisoners when their demands weren't met. He shot my own mother on live news and didn't even show mercy about any of it. That was the moment when my anger reached a point in my life. I wanted vengeance. And yet... I was..." He couldn't find the words.

"Scared of wanting revenge," John finished for him.

David looked up at him in confusion.

"How did you know that?" he asked.

"When my parents were murdered by Shaw, all I had was this feeling of revenge and sadness," he explained. "But at the same time, I was scared of it and I tried to avoid it as much as possible. I didn't want to gain any of it, but I held onto it anyway. In a way, vengeance was what kept me alive all of those years on my own."

David nodded.

"What happened afterwards?"

David sighed and said, "I went after him of course. Me and Millie had gotten back together, just when we realized that our love for each other was too strong to be apart. We were in love and nothing could change that. But while I was searching for Matar, the U.S. government had realized that I was person who could teleport and tried to kidnap me. Somewhere along the line, I managed to capture Matar and hold him captive, but at the same time, I heard that Millie was kidnapped by the NSA, so I kidnapped the leader of the NSA to level things out. In the end, I came to realize that revenge wouldn't do any good and I let both Matar and the leader of the NSA go. Millie was returned to me sometime later, all because I agreed to work with the NSA and help out on a few missions for them. But the aftermath of everything that had happened had left me wounded in emotional ways I didn't understand. Millie helped me through it later on in my life. We married and then went on the run together. I owe that woman my life. She was there for me and even married an old tramp and wounded soul like me, even if it meant being separated by her family. In the end, Millie was the one to remain true to me and always has. I feel bad for the damage that I cause to her sometimes. I know she misses her mother, father, and brothers. But it was for the good of their safety. But I'm happy that I bring happiness and joy to her life, as she does to mine. I guess that is all that matters to her now."

John smiled and said, "I can tell that she is the one for you. You are one lucky man, David." He winked.

David smiled and replied, "I should be saying the same to you. Cent is one amazing girl, isn't she."

"Yes, yes she is," John smiled as he thought about her. "Thank you."

David frowned and asked, "For what?"

"For sharing your story with me. I guess we both are wounded souls who are struggling to survive the aftermath of our own wars. Both Millie and Cent are the repairers. They help us move on with our lives and give us something to live for. They provide the love and the happy-ever-after ending for us. But then again, nothing ever ends does it?" He winked again.

David smiled and said, "That's why I like you John. You're a romantic and a honest man. I'm very proud that Cent found you and fell in love with you. Even Millie is proud to have you part of this family. I just cannot wait to see some grandkids running around soon."

John's face and ears turned red from him mentioning that. But then he smiled and said, "David? I do have a question for you and this one might be the biggest of them all."

David nodded and said, "Sure, go ahead. Ask away."

John smiled even bigger and asked, "How do feel about adding me permanently onto your family tree?"

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent noticed a few things about John as they took a walk along the beach of Los Angeles, watching the sun set in the background of the ocean.

The entire day was just beautiful and wonderful in almost everyway. John had taken her out the most expensive restaurant in the city, taken her our for ice scream, took her shopping, and now they were walking along the most beautiful beach in the Los Angeles, watching the sun disappear before their eyes.

But Cent could tell that John was up to something and that he was nervous, very nervous indeed. He was sweating a little bit, which was fun for to watch as his shirt was stuck to his chest, and he was always reaching for something in his pocket, but not pulling whatever it is out. It was like he was making sure that whatever he had was still in his pocket and secured.

Finally, she asked, "John, are you okay?" She raised an eyebrow.

John looked at her and smiled.

"Of course," he kissed her on the forehead. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, no reason," she teased and giggled.

John smiled and they continued to walk for a little while longer. Hands intertwined and shoulder to shoulder.

While Cent was too distracted with watching the sun beginning to fully disappear, John allowed himself to fall on his back on the sand. He tightened his grip on Cent and pulled her with him.

"JOHN BALE!" Cent screamed with excitement and landed on top of John, laughing.

Time slowed down as they looked each other in the eyes and titled their heads towards each other. Feeling each other's breath and lips just inches away from each other, they clashed together in one powerful kiss, not once holding back. The kiss was both soft and hard, filled with emotions that just could be expressed in words.

After they pulled apart, Cent saw John reach into his pocket for something.

"What are you getting in that pocket of yours, John Bale?" she teased and kissed him again.

They both got up, off the sand and continued to kiss each other.

As they stood there, John looked back at the sun and then back at Cent, excitement filled his eyes.

Cent frowned and asked, "John, are you sure your okay?"

Nodding, he said, "Can you do me a favor and close my eyes, for me? I have a present for you."

Cent raised an eyebrow and said, "Another present? Are you sure you didn't hit your head or something?"

John smiled and pleaded, "Please?! It goes along with the gift very well. I can promise you that you will love your gift."

Laughing, Cent shook her head and said, "Okay, only just for you, since you are soooo _hot _and such a romantic."

She winked and then closed her eyes.

Cent could hear John trying to control his breathing.

With her eyes still closed, Cent asked, "What are you doing John? This better not be a prank! Or I will teach you a lesson about pranks!"

She heard him chuckle and then say, "Okay, you can open now."

Slowly and steady, Cent opened her eye and saw John down on one knee, with his finger tips holding something.

Cent's eyes widened when she realized what it was he was holding.

_A wedding ring._

Frozen still and shocked to her core. She fully came to realize what John was doing and also started putting all of the pieces together of why he was acting so weird today. The reason he had decided to walk on the beach while the sun was setting. _He was planning to propose to her._

"Oh my God!" was Cent's only words. Her eyes were huge as she looked from the ring and at John, who was all still and handsome as she remembered.

Reaching out and taking Cent's hand with his other free arm, he said, "Cent Mary Rice..."

"Oh my God," she repeated.

John smiled and chuckled a little bit at her reaction and continued, "... from the moment I met you, I was in love with you, even when I didn't know it at first. We I first saw you in the cafeteria of our school, I was captured by your heart and I was permanently yours forever. I came to realize that I had been given a second chance to live a normal life that my parents wanted me to live. You _are _my life Cent! I promise that with this ring, I will always love and care for you. I promise that we will grow old together. Have kids and watch them grow. And that when our time comes, we will be with each other when old age takes us. You are my fixer. I am a wounded soul that was supposed to be tossed out and abandoned, but you fix me every second of the day we are together. You help me learn to live again and I don't ever want to be without you. I can never love anyone else ever again, because you are the _one_ and the only one person I will ever love in this world and in the next. But in order to start off our everlasting love, I need you answer me one thing..." He paused, completely at a loss of words. "... Cent Mary Rice, will you marry me?"

Cent was shocked beyond words and emotions as she heard John say all of these things to her. Tears were pouring down her cheeks and her eyes were just red from the crying. Her heart was jumping all around and she could literally hear it.

Finally regaining herself, she threw herself on John and they fell back into the sand together. Their lips clashed together it was no soft kiss this time. Both John and Cent moaned and their bodies pressed against each other.

"Yes! Oh God, yes! Yes, I will marry you, John Bale! I will give anything to be your wife and spend forever with you!" she cried out and kissed him again.

When they finally stopped kissing, still lying on the sand, with Cent on top of John, John took Cent's left hand and carefully put the wedding ring on Cent's fourth finger.

Cent studied it and said, "It's so beautiful! Just like you, John. You are so beautiful!"

John smiled and stroked her face, neck, and hair.

"Not as beautiful as you," he whispered and kissed her again.

Falling fully back against the sand again, they kissed and didn't notice as the sun had finally vanished, leaving darkness to take over what was left. Cent and John stayed that way for a while, not caring what the world thought about it.

When they finally realized how dark it was, they jumped straight to the beach house on their private island in the Caribbean.

Not bothering with turning on any of the lights, both Cent and John quickly tore each other's clothes off and made way to the master bedroom, where they made sweet, sweet love all throughout the night.

* * *

**Awwww! Okay, who loved this chapter? Come on, give me your thoughts on it. ;)**

**Now that was beautiful! Cent and John are on their way to be married soon. Not to mention that we are seeing a nice bond between John and David as well. But I hope you guys loved this chapter. I still have more to present. **

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed the thirtieth chapter in this story and I hope you like what I have in store for the final chapters ahead. Thank you all so much for the amazing reviews (which also includes the great "Marie King", the sweet "Rose", and the awesome "GeekyZoee" too). ;)**

**Please review on your thoughts about the chapter and the progress of the story as well. ;)**


	31. Nothing Like Being In Love

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Alrighty! I have some good news! Well, sort of. I already have in mind how I want to end this story and I hope you guys enjoy what I have in store. After this chapter, there will definitely be at least a few more chapters made and that should conclude everything for this story. I'm very happy to finally complete this story, but I'm also sad to see it finally end as well. But I hope that you guys can enjoy the final chapters (including this one as well). **

**Both Cent and John recall how far they have come and also what the future will hold for them as they begin to take their relationship to new and huge levels than they have ever been to before. **

**Please enjoy chapter thirty-one! And also review as well. ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One:**

**Nothing Like Being In Love**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent smiled as she dreamt of the future.

Lying under the sheets with John, with her head resting on top of his bare chest. She couldn't help but dream of a future with him. The more she dreamt, the more she smiled and buried her face into his chest.

There were many different dreams at once going on. But they always had John in them. She imagined him growing older, more handsome, and more muscular. She imagined moments when they would lie in the sand of their private island, or snuggle together in bed. Holding hands as they took long walks, with their wedding rings on their fingers. She even imagined when they would reach their old age, growing very old, becoming grandparents and watching their children redo he cycle that they have once done and are still doing in the present. Growing up, finding true love, marrying, having kids, and growing old together. The perfect cycle of love.

But there was one dream that she kept replaying in mind, over and over again. _The day that she and John get married._

She couldn't help but imagine what it would be like. Her, in a wedding dress, looking like angel, with her father, walking down the aisle. Her mother, looking beautiful and _sexy, _as she always does for David, standing proud with tears in her eyes. Along with Zoe as well, who can deliver the greatest smiles for the moment. And then, there was John himself. Her heart pounded as she imagined him in a tuxedo, his hair made so nicely, and his smile that would knock her off her own feet.

It still hadn't been more than at least six hours since John had proposed to her and declared his _undying _love for her. There was still the fact that they needed to inform her parents about the engagement, but she knew that her parents would be overjoyed by the news and be planning for everything to happen.

So far, this was the perfect the night. And the real fun hasn't even started yet. It was just the beginning, one that would last forever and ever.

Opening her eyes, Cent looked up at John, who was sleeping like a baby. She smiled and continue to stare at him.

_God, I love you! _her mind screamed. _Nothing like being in love!_

Cent loved it when John slept like that. All nice and calm. She never saw him when he had the nightmares, but he told her what it was like and that the sight wasn't good. But some part of her had an idea of what John would look like from waking up from a nightmare. It breaks her heart every time she thought about it. But she loved how he found peace with sleeping with her, with or without their clothes on that is.

Almost as if he had sensed her, John opened his eyes slowly and smiled at her. He stroked her cheek and then her hair.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

Cent smiled and said, "I can't help but think about us right now. I cannot wait to marry you."

John smiled and replied, "I cannot wait either." He paused for a moment. "You know, I never once thought that a girl like you would fall for me. A worthless broken soul, one that the world should forget about."

Shocked by his words, she leaned up, and stared into his eyes with fury.

"You're not worthless!" she fought back. "Yes, you may be a broken soul, but that isn't your fault at all. I'm your _fixer_, remember? I'm the one who makes sure you don't fall apart." She took his hand and placed it right where her heart is. "We both were made for each other. You helped me realize what true love is and I helped you get a second chance at living a full, happy life. Maybe not a normal one, but one that is filled with happiness."

John shook his head and said, "You are one amazing girl! You know that, right?"

Cent smiled and leaned towards him, pressing her lips against his. She felt him kiss back, moving his arms around her body.

Suddenly, he climbed on top of her, covering them both up with the same bed sheet and continued to kiss her.

Staring up into John's beautiful eyes and admiring his body, she smiled and kissed him again. She felt his head rest on her shoulder, with his body right next to hers. She could feel warmth being delivered between each other. She could feel her skin and soul begging for more.

Moving her fingers through his hair, she kissed the top of his head and smiled. She relaxed against the pillow, as John did on her shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence, Cent spoke.

"Can you believe that we met only two months before?"

John smiled and replied, "Tell you the truth, I can't. It feels like yesterday we had just met. I still remember that moment."

"We both know that you enjoyed me watching you like a hawk!" she teased.

John chuckled and said, "Yes, I did." He paused. "Remember when I helped you with your book when it fell out of the locker?"

Cent smiled as she remembered that moment.

"Yes, I do. We barely said a word to each other and yet, we just fell more in love as we did at first sight. We didn't even say a full sentence to each other and we ended up falling in love right there."

"I guess love comes in all sorts of mysterious ways. I wouldn't trade what we have for anything."

Cent felt tears forming in her eyes.

"We still have to tell my parents about our engagement," Cent realized. "I just hope dad won't mind me getting married before my senior year."

John began to chuckle.

Cent frowned and asked, "What's so funny?"

"Your dad already knows," he said. "I asked for his blessing and he gave it to me. I wouldn't be surprised if Millie found out from him. But then again, David always seems to be the good one with secrets."

Cent smiled and said, "True. At least my dad already knows and isn't in for a big surprise like this. How did he answer when you asked for his blessing?"

"He actually took it very well," John replied. "He said that he couldn't wait to add me to the family. He also mentioned that he couldn't wait to be a grandfather."

Cent felt her cheeks turn red and blushed.

John knew what she was thinking and Cent knew what he was thinking as well.

"By the way, since we're on the subject," John began. "How many children do you want?"

Cent smiled. She loved how John always wanted her opinion. He was always like that. He never once made a very important decision without her opinion.

Thinking about it, Cent said, "I would love a girl and a boy. So, two. Maybe three. But I guess we could start off with one and see where things go. I just want them to look like you. I want to see some part of you within their eyes and have your looks."

John smiled and said, "On the contrary, I want them to look like you. You're the one with the beautiful looks."

Cent blushed and playfully punched him on the shoulder.

"Stop it!" she giggled. "You give me more credit than I deserve."

"But you are!" John protested. "You are so beautiful in my eyes. I never want to take my eyes off of you. I cannot wait till I finally marry you and become yours."

"And I cannot wait to become yours as well," she kissed the top of his head again. "I love you, John. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," said John as he flipped himself on his side and kissed her softly on the mouth. "I can never live without you. You are my one and only love in this world."

"So are you," Cent held his face between her hands and pulled him in for another kiss. "No one will ever replace you and no one will ever capture my heart again. I love you with all of my soul, John Bale. That will never change. Never!"

After another passionate kiss, they stared into each other's eyes.

"So, what about senior year and college?" John asked, raising an eyebrow.

Cent smiled and said, "I've thought about that. And I've decided that I will complete my senior year, but not in high school. I'm doing homeschooling right here. Inside this very beach house. And as for college, I think I will go to the same college as Zoe, but continue to live here. I want to be as close to you as possible. It is what I want."

John nodded, smiling, and asked, "What about having children? I'm guessing that you would want to hold off a little longer, right?"

Cent and said, "Trust me, I want to be a mother and have children with you. But I can tell that we aren't ready just yet. I say we should wait till I'm done with college. We're still teenagers and we're already taking a huge but necessary risk to marry at this age."

"Actually, I think that the marriage and divorce rate is very close to zero for Jumpers. So I think the whole threat of divorce only counts for normal humans," John teased.

Cent giggled at his joke.

"But I agree with you," he continued. "I'm not ready to be a father and you aren't ready to be a mother. But I think that with this marriage and with some time, we will be. And I love the idea of you doing homeschooling here. I can help you out." He grinned in a evil, but funny way.

Cent chuckled and said, "I think you would distract me with your kisses and sexy body. But hey, don't let me stop from doing that."

John laughed and kissed her.

"I love you," he said once again. "What do you want to do now? It's almost sunup and I think we should get a head start on your parents. I know that they get up early."

Cent raised an eyebrow, moved her arms around John's neck, and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"My parents can wait, and so can the morning as well," she smiled. "I want my fiancée to show me how much he_ loves_ me."

"Oh, don't worry," he climbed on top of her and kissed her softly, which soon became hard. "I will."

They disappeared under the sheets.

As the sun began to shine through the windows and onto the bed, both Cent and John made love to each other. Just taking their precious time.

After lying in bed for almost an hour later, they finally took a shower together, dressed each other, and went to the kitchen, where John made his very own breakfast for him and Cent. While making the pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausages, and biscuits, Cent stared at him, admiring his every movement.

They sat together and ate their breakfast. They even feed each other and had a little food fight with the food that they couldn't eat afterwards.

Normally, some people would think that this was crazy for two grown people to do. But they didn't care. They were in love and that was how it was going to stay. They didn't care what the world thought about them. They were in control of their lives and what they do. Why should the world care about what they do? It was their life, not the world's.

After cleaning up their mess, Cent embraced John and felt as they jumped for her bedroom.

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter. I'm still having trouble writing at the moment. But I think this story might have four more chapters after this. I know that is a little more than what I said before, but there have been a few new developments that I really wanted to get to. **

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The next one will continue off where this one leaves off and have a little bit of a family moment as well. But I hope you guys are enjoying the direction I am heading in. :)**

**Please review! I really want to read what you guys think of my story. ;)**


	32. Plans and Decisions

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**And we finally arrive to chapter thirty-two. I do apologize again for the wait on the last one. I have been having trouble with trying to get myself back into writing again. I guess my writer's block just won't go away. But hopefully I can finish the story now. ;)**

**Cent and John announce their engagement to Millie and David. While planning for the wedding, Cent decides to tell her friends about her secret and even entroduce them to Zoe.**

**Well, please read and enjoy the next installment to my story! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Two:**

**Plans and Decisions**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent smiled as she looked upon her bedroom as she and John appeared. She was going to miss this room. On the day of her and John's wedding, she was going to jump everything to the beach house, where she will permanently live with John for the rest of her life.

Walking down the stairs with hands intertwined, they finally came to the kitchen, where David and Millie were too busy kissing. There was pan of burnt eggs and bacon on the stove, which wasn't being noticed by either of them at the moment.

John and Cent giggled at the sight.

Hearing them, both Millie and David jumped apart, acting like teenagers.

"We weren't doing nothing!" Millie blurted out and then covered her mouth with both of her hands, embarrassed. "Didn't mean to say that out loud!"

David smiled, staying firm, and pulled Millie towards him, giving her a kiss on the lips to calm her down.

John and Cent smiled at the sight. Being completely reminded on themselves.

When they finally came apart, Millie rushed to the stove and turned off the burner.

"There goes my breakfast," she giggled.

"We already ate," Cent announced.

David noticed something on her finger and smiled as he realized what it was.

"Millie..." he whispered. "Look at what your daughter is wearing."

Cent smiled at her father and then turned towards her mother, who was throwing away the burnt eggs and bacon.

When Millie turned around, she studied Cent and couldn't figure it out at first. But then, when she looked towards the intertwined hands of Cent and John, her eyes widened and tears appeared in her eyes.

With one step forward, she ran to them both and hugged them with great force.

"Congratulations!" she screamed. "I'm so very happy for you both!" She grabbed Cent's hand and yanked it forward, studying the ring. "Wow! John, I must admit! I'm jealous right now! This piece of rock is just amazing! I can just feel the love right now!"

Looking at her daughter, she hugged her and said, "I'm so proud of you my dear. I cannot believe that my baby girl is finally getting married."

Cent had tears of her own and hugged her mother back.

David got up and walked towards Cent and Millie, hugging them in one big sandwich.

John chuckled as he watched from the side. He remembered moments like that with his parents so many years ago.

After their little _family _hug, they all went to the living room and sat down, discussing how the proposal happened and also about how John asked for David's blessing.

Once Millie heard what John said, she raised an eyebrow at David.

"And you didn't tell me?!" she gave the _evil _look at him.

David looked away from her, swallowed and said, "You never asked."

Rolling her eyes, Millie turned back to Cent.

"So, what happened afterwards?"

"John did the whole on one knee thing and proposed to me right there on the sand. He gave one amazing speech and we kissed under the sunset and all of that," Cent was on a roll as she went into details of last night, omitting certain parts that led to other _romantic _moments. But she did mention the beach house.

"Oh yeah, and we celebrated at the beach house," Cent finally finished.

Millie had tears in her eyes and smiled.

"Now that is so romantic!" she exclaimed. "I remember when David proposed to me. It was during our time in Hawaii. We were walking the sandy beaches and he proposed to me right after we had gone swimming at one of the private areas. Such a beautiful moment. But yours sounds way better than ours."

David nodded and said, "My speech to Millie wasn't even that long. It was just a simple '_will you marry me_' type of speech."

"So," Millie slapped her knees and smiled. "what are we going to do about the wedding? What do you lovebirds want? A small or big wedding?"

Cent looked at John and smiled.

They had already discussed the wedding idea that they had in mind.

"We decided to have a small wedding," Cent announced as she took John's hand into hers. "Remember that beach house that John gave me for my birthday?"

Both David and Millie nodded.

"The one I haven't seen yet!" Millie teased.

Cent smiled and continued, "We want our little wedding to take place there. On the sand, where only us and a few others can enjoy it. Besides, I think we can use a little bit of a private island right about now."

Millie cheered in excitement.

"By others, I'm guessing that you are bringing Zoe," said David.

"Her, and a few others."

Everyone raised an eyebrow at the same time.

Cent smiled.

"I have these friends from high school, Ashley, Emily, and Rachel. They have been very nice to me for my time at the school and also kept me company too. I think they have earned the right to know our secret. I just hope they accept what I have to tell them and that they accept the wedding invitation as well."

Both Millie and David nodded and smiled.

"In speaking of school and home," Millie sat up straight in her chair and put her hand over Cent's. "I'm guessing that you will be doing homeschooling at that beach house and also living there too."

Cent was surprised that she actually guessed it right.

She raised an eyebrow and asked, "How did you know?"

Millie laughed and said, "I'm your mother. I know everything."

Everyone laughed.

"I guess this day was coming sooner or later," Millie went on. "I just never thought it would come this quickly. But I have faith that everything will work out. Besides, I just know that you and John will be happy together. Just promise me some grandkids as soon as possible."

Cent and John's ears and cheeks became red.

"MOM!" Cent screamed and laughed. "You are so naughty!"

"But so are you," Millie winked at her daughter. "But seriously, I better see some grandkids within a few years. I'm not getting any younger you know."

Cent laughed some more and said, "Sorry, mom. But it might be a while before me and John have some kids. I want to go through my senior year and college first. Perhaps even get a career job and then have some kids. With all of that said, it might be six to seven years before we even get to that moment."

"Changing the subject!" David yelled out, his face red from the embarrassment as well. "When do you guys want the wedding to happen?"

"Two days from now," Cent said and smiled. "Considering that we are _illegally_ living off the grid and cannot_ legally_ get married by the law, there will be no need for a priest or any forms to be signed. I believe that dad can handle the honors."

David smiled and said, "At your service, my dear. This should be fun."

Cent and Millie giggled at him.

Continuing, "And all I want is for everyone to look nice in whatever dresses or tuxedoes they can find. Me, mom, and Zoe can handle the wedding dress. My friends can obviously take good care of themselves. And as for you two," she pointed towards John and her father, smiling her mischief smile. "You will be the only two guys there, so wear something nice."

"And _s-e-x-y_," Millie playfully elbowed David in the ribs.

Everyone laughed again.

"Then we better get started," David smiled. "John should jump us to this private island of yours and show us how you guys want the wedding to go down."

John smiled and said, "Sure. Trust me, you will love it."

Just as Millie, David, and John got up from their seats, Cent remained in her chair.

"You guys go ahead," she pulled out her cell phone. "I have to make a few phone calls."

They all nodded and smiled.

Cent watched as John jumped away, followed by Millie and David, who walked right through his jump scar.

Smiling, she dialed Zoe's number.

After a couple of rings, Zoe finally picked up.

"H-ell-o," she barely said, giggling in the background.

Cent frowned and then smiled, ignoring her surprising giggle.

"Hey, can you meet me at our usual Starbucks today?" she asked.

Zoe giggled again, but it wasn't directly at her.

Cent frowned again and asked, "What is going on? Why are you giggling like that?"

"Stop that!" Zoe playfully said to someone else on the other line. "My friend is on the phone! You can wait my young friend!"

Cent giggled herself as she heard the happiness and playfulness in her friend's voice.

"Cent?" Zoe finally calmed down. "Sorry about that."

"Who is there with you?" Cent asked.

"Oh, um, someone very dear to me," Zoe giggled again, playing hard to get with Cent.

Laughing, Cent said, "You can tell me all about it at Starbucks. Are you up for it? I have a very special announcement to make." She paused. "And I also have some other friends that I want you to meet as well."

"Of course I can meet you there!" Zoe cheered in excitement. "I happen to have a day off from work today! What time?"

"Around maybe, one o'clock."

"I will definitely be there! Just after I finish up here!"

Cent thought about asking what she meant by that, but then thought to save the questions for later.

"See you soon!"

"See you Cent!"

They both hang up at the same time.

Smiling, Cent dialed another number.

"Is that my most favorite person in the whole wide world?!" Ashley's voice came over the line.

Cent giggled and said, "Hey Ashley! Are you and the girls up to meet me at Starbucks at one o'clock? The one near the high school? I have a couple of things to tell you guys and it needs to be in person."

"Sure!" Ashley shouted in excitement. "In fact, the gang is with me right now. Shopping at Victoria's Secret."

Cent giggled and asked, "What are you guys doing there?"

"Oh, Emily wants some new bras," she announced and then whispered, "She's hoping to show off for James and make it to _second base _with him."

"I heard that!" Emily's voice could be heard in the background.

"And I wanted to grab some lingeries while I was at!" came Rachel's voice.

Cent laughed and threw he head back against the chair. She had such funny _girlfriends._

"I also came along to just buy something new," Ashley came back on. "We girls are just shopping to look nice for our handsome boyfriends. Emily is really starting to _rule _James's world now."

"You bet ya!" Emily yelled, playfully.

Cent laughed along with Ashley.

As it turned out, all three girls were now dating their high school crushes now. After the prom, Emily and James had suddenly become a couple and were spending a great amount of time together. Rachel and Robert were really warming up as a couple as well. Even Ashley and Michael were doing great too. It seemed like everyone was falling in love now. Even the summer was really turning out to be a great time for romance. Cent could tell that all three of her friends were definitely getting more than enough with their boyfriends now.

"So, can you guys make it?" she asked again.

"Of course we will," Ashley replied. "Just give us a little while longer. I think Rachel is going to keep us for a little while longer."

"Hey, it has to be perfect! The right lingerie always makes the romance more fun! Timing is everything!" Rachel argued.

Cent smiled, laughed and said, "See you guys soon."

After hanging up, she sighed and put her head into between her hands. She began to wonder how they were going to take it when she reveals her gift to them. Zoe already knew, but it was her other three friends that worried her. She needed to show them everything. She wanted them at her wedding and she hoped that they will accept everything.

_Here goes nothing, _she told herself.

Getting up from the table, she jumped to the Starbucks.

* * *

**Alrighty! Who is excited to see Cent reveal her secret to her friends? Or at least the ones who don't know yet. Either way, I hope you guys like the next chapter that is coming right up. ;)**

**Like I said before, I will be extending to one or more chapters than I originally said. But don't worry, we will have the wedding scene and also the final chapter that will conclude everything. I just hope you guys like what I have in store. :)**

**Please review! I just love reviews! ;)**


	33. Revealed

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**This next chapter should be exciting. We get to see what Zoe has been up to and also some other things as well. We also get to see Ashley, Emily, and Rachel again. In fact, this chapter is sort of like a crossover for Cent's friends. Zoe and the trio meet for the first time and we see how things work out for the time being. Oh yeah, and Cent also reveals her Jumping ability as well. I hope you like it. ;)**

**Cent learns some interesting developments that have been happening with Zoe. Ashley, Emily, and Rachel meet Zoe for the first time and Cent announces her engagement to them. Also, John shows David and Millie the beach house. But the biggest reveal comes at the very end when Cent tells her trio of friends _everything._**

**Just sit back and enjoy the ride! Chapter thirty-three has arrived! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Three:**

**Revealed**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent sat at her usual spot in the Starbucks restaurant, sipping on some hot chocolate coffee, while awaiting her friend Zoe to arrive. Some part of her knew that she would arrive first. Zoe had a thing for taking her time and always somehow beating everyone first. It was like time was actually on her side or something.

Right on cue, Zoe walked right through the front doors of the Starbucks, carrying her purse on her right shoulder, and turned to walk down towards the table that Cent was at. She pushed back her hair and smiled at Cent as she came closer.

Cent just loved how Zoe smiles. No matter how she smiled, it was always full of love and happiness. She still had that innocents that a lot of people lose either before or during their teenage years. Zoe was like a light that still shined in a world where darkness was everywhere.

The very thought of darkness brought Cent back to the thought of Travis Shaw. The man who was perhaps the most evilest person on the planet. He was cruel and a murderer. He killed for the thrills and the fun. He even tried to kill the man she loved. But in the end, he got what he deserved and died for the unimaginable crimes that he committed. Some part of Cent wondered what could have made Shaw so evil and such a monster. She most likely will never know. Just like John will never know. But then again, she didn't want to know. Shaw was dead and they were safe from danger. He was never going to harm anyone ever again. That was all that mattered.

Smiling back at Zoe, Cent got up from the booth and hugged her.

Zoe hugged back.

_Damn, she knows how to do a hug! _Cent said to herself.

They both sat down in the booth.

"So," Zoe raised an eyebrow. "What's been happening? What's the announcement that couldn't wait?"

Cent smiled and said, "I was going to make you wait, but now I feel like I'm the bad guy if I don't tell you now."

"You got that right," Zoe smirked. "So, tell me! What's the secret? And who are these other friends of yours?"

"One thing at a time," Cent smiled again. "You will get to meet these other friends of mine later. But first, lets play a little game real quick."

"What kind of game?"

"It's the type of game that will answer your first question," Cent smiled. "Okay, do you notice anything different about me."

Zoe frowned and studied Cent over. She went from head to hands and didn't even begin to notice one thing out that caught her attention.

"Besides the fact that you are more happy than ever, I can't really tell," Zoe joked and smiled.

Cent rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, my hands. Anything out of the ordinary?"

Studying her hands, Zoe overlooked it at first but managed to notice the ring on her left hand. Her mouth dropped and her eyes widened.

"Oh my god!" she nearly yelled out.

"I'm getting married!" Cent exclaimed.

Without warning, the two girls jumped over the table and hugged each other very hard, cheering in excitement.

They didn't notice that nearly almost the entire restaurant was looking their way.

Zoe took Cent's hand and looked at the ring on her finger, completely admiring the style of the crystal rock on it.

"I am so jealous of you right now!" Zoe wiped away a few tears. "Not only do you beat me into getting such a great, loyal boyfriend who spoils you too much, but you also beat me into getting married. When is the wedding and where is it?"

Cent smiled, took back her hand, and said, "The wedding is two days from now. You know that beach house that John gave me for my birthday?"

"Yeah."

"That is where it is going to be. So grab whatever dress you can find and get ready. Also, you can help me and my mom with the wedding dress."

Zoe clapped her hands together and said, "I just love weddings! And I cannot wait to see your beach house soon! That is going to be exciting to see!"

"There is one more thing that I need to tell you."

"Go ahead."

Cent swallowed and explained, "My other friends, Ashley, Emily, and Rachel, they don't know about _me _and my family. You know."

Zoe nodded.

"Right."

"And I plan on telling them," Cent smiled. "I plan on telling them right after I announce my engagement to them. I also plan on them coming to the wedding, that is if they don't freak out about what my ability to jump and never want to see me again. I just want to be honest with them."

Zoe smiled and patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry," she winked. "If they are truly your friends, they will accept you and your ability. If not, well, then they were never your friends to begin with. A true friend will always accept who you are and never betray you."

Cent smiled and said, "Thank you, Zoe. You are truly a great friend to me. I cannot wait to have you there at my wedding. And don't worry, I'm sure you will find your true love one day."

Zoe's cheeks became red.

"What?" Cent asked, noticing how embarrassed she was.

"Well..." Zoe couldn't begin right off the bat. "... lets just say that I might be heading towards your position as we speak."

"What?" Cent frowned as she tried to understand what she meant. But then she remembered that moment from their phone conversation earlier, of how Zoe was acting. She smiled and raised an eyebrow at Zoe. "You already have a boyfriend, don't you? That was him wasn't it? He was the one making you giggle on the phone."

Zoe smiled and moved her hand through her hair like a high school girl.

"Yes, it was," she finally admitted. "He was with me at my dorm room this morning."

Cent's eyes widened and she nearly jumped up and down in the booth.

"What's his name?! How did you guys meet?!" she held back the urge to ask a million more questions.

Zoe giggled and said, "His name is Jason Martinson. I met him almost two weeks ago, over at the university. It was just a little while after you and me were reunited and got to catch up." She paused, smiling as she thought of Jason. "I seriously like this guy! I mean, my feelings for him are way stronger than they were for Alex. He's so nice and such a gentleman. He makes me smile and laugh, but he also makes me feel happy when I am around him. I met him when I accidently ran into him in the hallway of the university. _Literally."_

Cent giggled as she pictured it in her head and also remembered a similar moment that happened between her and John when they first met.

"I felt so horrible for running into him like that, but he didn't seem angry or upset, he was actually smiling when he saw me. I couldn't help but smile back. We suddenly forgot that it ever happened and he asked me out for coffee." She paused. "I was shocked that he actually asked me out. He's one of those gorgeous, beautiful men who just capture your attention."

"I bet he's hot," Cent winked and they both laughed at her joke.

"He is!" Zoe spoke with excitement. "I couldn't believe that he was actually talking to me and actually wanting to be around me. After that day, we just were inseparable. I tried to stay away from him, just to take it nice and slow, but we end up finding one another somehow. It was just two days later that we finally started a relationship and since then, I feel so happy and safe around each other. I cannot wait to see him everyday and so does he. I don't know..." She smiled as she was at a loss of words. "... I can't understand why I feel this way around him."

Cent smiled and said, "I think I know why."

Zoe frowned and asked, "What? What is it?"

"Sorry, but that is for you to figure out," Cent winked.

Zoe's mouth dropped in shocked and said, "Why?! I want to know! Just tell me! I know you, Cent Mary Rice! You are hiding the truth from me!"

Cent laughed as she remembered a very familiar moment that she had with her mother some months back.

"Because," Cent started to explain. "I can't tell you until you see it. What you feel on the inside, it needs to be felt and understood by you and you alone. This mystery of why you feel this way, you need to find out for yourself. Besides, that is the fun part about being in a relationship with someone. The mystery of it all makes everything worth it. But always remember this, once the mystery is solved and you know what your feelings are, you must always act on what you need to do. Because once your true love comes, you either grab ahold of him and never let go or you lose him forever. And trust me, men like that come like shooting stars."

Zoe formed up a few tears and wiped them away.

"Thank you, Cent," she said tearfully. "You are indeed a true friend to me. Thanks the advice. You have no idea how your make me feel better."

"Hey, that's what friends are for," Cent winked. "Besides, we all need someone to help point us in the right direction. I really hope that Jason is the right man for you. Just from how you described him, he reminds me of John. Only without the ability to jump."

"But I like him either way," Zoe smiled. "Jason is just one of those perfect guys that you dream of. It all feels like a dream right now."

"I know. It was the same with me and John. I never thought I would meet someone like him." Cent paused as she remembered some memories. "I remember when we always dreamed of finding the right man. Don't you?"

Zoe put her hand over her heart and smiled as she remembered also.

"Yes, I do. Funny how long ago that was. Normal girls who had dreams. Now, we are living those dreams today."

They both smiled and remained silent for a while, just letting the moment sink in.

"Anyway, tell me more about this Jason," Cent held her head on her hands, with her elbows were positioned on the table, her eyes completely on Zoe.

Zoe smiled and said, "He's an actor for a small movie company. He does small time movies from time to time and even cartoons, but he's hoping to move up to the big leagues and become famous one day. He comes from a rich family, but he is such a sweetheart and a gentleman. He treats me with kindness and love. Now that I'm just talking about him, I really do think I am in love with him."

Cent giggled and asked, "How far are you guys into your relationship?"

"We have come a long way," she replied. "We started off with coffee, like I said before, and then late night dinners, and later came romantic movie nights."

Cent couldn't help but remember the exact same memories of her and John. It began off something like that. She smiled as she listened.

"Now we are literally kissing in public and just having a great time with each other. I couldn't wish for anything more. Jason is just so amazing."

"I'm so happy for you," Cent wiped away a tear. "Don't take this the wrong way, but have you guys... um... you know..."

"Did _it_?" Zoe finished for her and smiled.

"Yeah," Cent replied, cheeks red.

Zoe's cheeks became red as well and said, "No, we haven't. I mean, I've thought about it, but I don't think I'm ready for that part of the relationship yet. I want our first time to be perfect and at a good time when we both are ready." She paused and smiled. "You know the weirdest thing is? Jason doesn't even see me that way. He only cares for my well-being and doesn't care about that stuff. I guess that is why I like him so much. He knows how to treat a lady. Not that many guys like them anymore."

Cent chuckled and said, "True. But at least we have two guys who don't act like the rest of the world, right?"

"Right!" Zoe smiled. "You should meet him Cent! He is just amazing!"

"I hope to meet him one day too."

Suddenly, Cent she had an idea.

"Bring him along."

"What?" Zoe raised an eyebrow.

"Bring him along," Cent repeated. "I can explain everything to him and have him at the wedding. It would also test him to see how he reacts to my ability to jump."

"You would do that?" Zoe asked, stunned. "For me?"

"I would do anything for you," Cent smiled. "I want you to be able to tell your boyfriend everything and also be able to be full honest with him. I think this will help out Jason in a lot of ways."

Zoe nodded.

"I will ask him if he will come with me. This should be a great experience for us. I cannot wait for you to meet him, Cent. He is so amazing! He reminds me of how you describe John. I wouldn't be surprised if these two knew each other or something."

Cent listened as Zoe went into great detail about Jason. But the moment was interrupted as she noticed her friends, Ashley, Emily, and Rachel walking into the restaurant and looking for her.

Cent waved to them and they walked down towards where she and Zoe were sitting.

Getting up, Cent hugged them all and smiled as they suddenly attacked her with the group hug.

"We are so glad to see you Cent!" Ashley said in excitement.

"Yeah! Me too!" Emily said.

"Me three!" Rachel added.

Cent smiled and pulled away.

"I'm so happy to see you guys again!" she exclaimed. "It's been a while now. About two weeks since we last saw each other?"

"Three weeks," Emily corrected as she held up three fingers.

"And we know that John has been keeping you _busy!" _Ashley winked.

"But then again, so have our guys as well," Rachel smiled.

Cent laughed and then grabbed ahold of Zoe, who was smiling and eager to meet everyone.

"People!" Cent cleared her throat. "This is my dear friend, Zoe!"

"Hi, Zoe!" Emily shook her hand, smiling. "So happy to finally meet you! I'm Emily"

"I'm Ashley."

"And I'm Rachel, the serious one," Rachel winked.

Zoe smiled and said, "I'm happy to meet you all too! Cent has told me all about you guys!"

All three girls looked at Cent at the same time and raised an eyebrow.

"You told her about us and never once mentioned Zoe at all," Ashley playfully smiled.

"What can I say, it escaped me when I first moved here."

"Either way, what is the important news?" Emily nearly jumped up and down, all excited.

Cent held up her left hand and allowed them all to guess.

Once they saw the ring, they screamed and all jumped up and down.

"Oh my god! Congratulations Cent!" Emily gave her the biggest bear hug she ever gave.

Finally, the other two girls jumped in and completely covered Cent, nearly crushing her to death, with only her head visible.

Zoe began to laugh at the sight and nearly fell to her knees.

Cent raised an eyebrow at her and mouthed, _Wait till your engagement! _

Zoe stuck out her tongue and laughed again at the sight.

Suddenly, Cent noticed how the entire restaurant was looking at them, completely annoyed with how much noise they have caused. Although, some were smiling as they realized what was going on.

"Um, guys?" Cent struggled to speak and breath. "We might want to leave right now."

"Why?" asked Rachel.

"We just got here," Emily replied.

"Well, for one, we have some angry people who look like they are about to throw us out."

Everyone turned to look at the crowd and saw what Cent meant.

"Looks like our welcome has been overstayed," Zoe said as she grabbed her purse and Cent's hand. "Lets get out of here before the whole place riots up."

They all giggled as they ran out of the Starbucks and onto the sidewalk, acting like guilty teenagers. They began to walk down the street and up towards the high school, completely not caring where they go.

"You know, you're alright, Zoe!" Rachel announced. "You know how to make a moment fun. I like you a lot."

"Me too," Emily winked at her.

"I think we have finally added another member to our gang," Ashley smiled. "First Cent and now Zoe! A great prize for us this year. I cannot wait for next year. With Cent in our group and Zoe for part-time, we should be enjoying the final year with no problems!"

Cent's smile disappeared as she said, "I'm not returning next year."

"What?!" Emily's eyes widened in shock.

"Why?" Ashley nearly fell to the ground from shock.

"I'm doing homeschooling this year," Cent explained. "With me and John getting married, I want to be as close to him as possible. I'm so sorry guys, but the final year is going to have to be done without me. But I wish you guys the best luck for next year. You will be with your boyfriends, right?"

All three girls smiled but still had disappointed faces.

"We're going to miss you, Cent!" Emily ran up and hugged her. "I guess it is back to the original three, then."

"Like the three musketeers!" Ashley cheered and raised her hand in the air.

Everyone laughed.

"So, Zoe," Rachel coughed. "What do you love to do?"

"Well, I'm a huge fan of videogames and computers. And lets not forget movies! Just a huge fan of Looper by the way!" Zoe said in excitement.

Rachel's eyes lit up and shouted, "You like Looper?! Why didn't you say so?! That Joseph Gordon-Levitt is such a hot babe and a badass!"

Cent's eyes widened in shock as slapped herself on the forehead.

"Not again!" she whispered to herself.

"I know!" Zoe ran up next to Rachel, completely all excited. "I even love how Bruce Willis can still kick ass in his movies! Considering how old he is! Looper is just _amazing!"_

"Hey, please tell me that you love the Avengers and Thor!"

"Oh yes, I love those movies!" Zoe nearly screamed with excitement. "In fact, I've seen all of the movies that Marvel has made! I just love superheroes! But my personal favorite is the Avengers! So many funny parts!"

"Including when Thor said Loki was his adopted brother?!" Rachel asked.

"YES! That too!"

"Anyway," Cent started to ignore Zoe and Rachel, who were completely walking ahead of them now. "I'm terribly sorry guys. I know that I was only there for a couple of weeks, but this is something that I want to do."

Ashley smiled and patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry," she said. "We understand. Don't take it too hard, we support you for your decision. It will just be lonely without you, but I think we can manage."

"And besides," Emily winked. "We will be kind of occupied with our boyfriends for the final year. From the looks like it, James isn't letting go of me at all."

"By the way, how are you and James doing?" Cent asked.

"Doing great!" Emily cheered. "I really think that me and James are in love more than ever! I wouldn't be surprised if he proposed to me by the end of our senior year. He's the only guy I want to be with."

"Don't remind us," Ashley rolled her eyes. "James is all she ever talks about now."

"That's because it's love," Emily said back. "And I know that things between you and Michael are really warming up. I know about last Friday, by the way."

Ashley's cheeks became red from embarrassment.

Cent laughed and said, "I'm going to miss this. I really am. Thanks for being my friends during my short time at the school. I had a great time."

"We had fun too, Cent," Emily smiled. "We all had a great time."

Cent suddenly saw the usual alleyway that John and her always used after school. She knew instantly that this was the place to show them what she needed to reveal. Some part of Cent feared the worst, but she also knew that she needed to do this as well. I this was a time when was going to be _revealed_, then she needed to do it now.

"Um, guys," she tried to control herself as she spoke.

Both Zoe and Rachel turned around and slowed down their walking to level up with them.

"I need to show you something, but it needs to be out of public. And whatever you do, please don't freak out or run away."

Ashley frowned and said, "We will never do that Cent! We are your friends! And friends accept each other, no matter what! Whatever you have to tell us, you will listen and accept it!"

"Yeah," Emily smiled and playfully punched Cent's shoulder. "We're always here for you."

Cent smiled as she pointed towards the alleyway.

"In there," she said and took point, leading them into the alley.

"Oh, this is going to be good!" Zoe said with excitement.

Ashley, Rachel, and Emily all looked at each other, nervously, and shrugged as they followed them.

Finally, as they were out of sight, Cent turned around and faced her friends.

"Alright," Ashley clapped her hands together. "What do you need to show us? Is a problem that we can help with?"

"And why are we in a creepy alleyway that we used to spy John in?" Emily asked, failing to hide the fear in her voice.

Cent smiled and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, she jumped right in front of them.

All three girls stood frozen, their eyes as huge as bowling balls, unable to believe what happened in front of them.

Zoe smiled and giggled as she looked behind them. She pointed behind them and began to laugh a little harder.

"Behind you!" Cent whispered as they giggled.

All three girls spun around, still completely shocked.

Cent waited for them to speak, praying that they didn't go nuts or anything.

"How did you do that?" Emily asked, her eyes still huge with wonder and shock.

Cent lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry for not telling you guys before. I really wanted to but I couldn't. Not without endangering you guys. But now, I don't think that will be a problem anymore. You guys are amazing friends to me and I want to be as honest as I can with you three. Zoe here already knows, but like you all, she didn't one time in our friendship."

"Which totally sucked you never told me!" Zoe teased.

Cent rolled her eyes and continued.

"I have the ability to teleport, but me and my family like to call it "jumping" instead. We are known as Jumpers. We can go anywhere in the world, at any time. I've always had this ability since I was born. I didn't start using it until later on in my life." She paused for a breath. "I've lied to you where I come from. I never lived in New York. I used to live in Seattle before Los Angeles. Before that, it was Alaska and then somewhere in Canada. But that was all I lied to you about. That was the reason I never revealed a lot from my past. I didn't want to lie to you girls. The reason why I never told you about my gift, is because my family has enemies who want to use us and they seek us wherever we may go. However, it seems that we maybe safe now and I want us to be closer than we have ever been. I understand if all of this is too much to take in right now, but I'm still Cent. The same girl who sat right next to you at lunch and in class rooms."

Cent waited for a respond, fully prepared for the worst.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, all three girls yelled in excitement, making both Cent and Zoe blink and even jump a little. They ran up to Cent, giving her one big group hug.

Zoe started to laugh as she watched it all happen right in front of her.

Cent returned an angry stare at her, even from all the arms that were squeezing her to death.

"Tell us everything!" Emily yelled.

"How does it work?!" Rachel asked.

"And please let us use you to go shopping in Paris!" Ashley clapped her hands together and smiled.

Cent tried to tell them everything that could.

She explained a lot of her past and also a little bit of her interactions with Zoe too. She told them where she really came from and why her family were on the run. She also explained that her parents were the same as well. She kept Travis Shaw and a few other details under wraps, but she did explain the situation about Syndicate and those who kidnapped her father in the past. So far, she tried to explain as much as she could, but even she couldn't keep up with it.

Once she got to the part about John's past and that he is also a Jumper, all three girls went silent.

"Really? John too?" Rachel asked, surprised.

"Well, if you think about it, it does make sense," Emily nodded and smiled.

"At least that explains why he was so mysterious and always disappearing," Ashley rubbed her chin.

Cent laughed and said, "You guys got everything you need to know about me and my life?"

They all nodded.

"I guess," Emily winked. "But that is so awesome that you can do this! By the way, I say that we go shopping in Paris, like Ashley said."

"And maybe even caught a movies!" Ashley's eyes widened with excitement.

"I want to see that romance film that has Keira Knightley in it!" Rachel announced.

"Me too!" said Zoe. "I've been waiting to see it for a while!"

Cent smiled and said, "Then, what are we waiting for?! Lets go to Paris! We can look for dresses for you guys! The wedding is in two days. And trust me, you will love the beach house that John got me."

"Say what?!" Rachel was now freaking out.

"John got you a beach house?!" Emily and Ashley said at the same time.

"I'm so jealous of you right now!" Rachel teased.

Zoe continued to laugh as she wanted all of it happen.

Cent laughed along with Zoe and said, "I'll tell you all about it while in Paris. We still on for going?"

"Hell yes!" all three girls yelled at the same time.

They all gathered in one big group, holding hands, Cent smiled and made the jump to Paris, completely ready for the long search and shopping of dresses that the girls were differently going to put her through.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John couldn't remember having this much fun since he was a kid... and when his parents were alive as well.

After bringing Millie and David to the beach house in the Caribbean, he spent hours showing them around. He enjoyed how they smiled and how impressed they looked whenever they saw something that they just loved. David was for sure loving the sauna and Millie was just admiring the hot tub, which she looked tempted to jump in right at that point.

He even went over what the wedding was supposed to be like. It was to happen on the sand, where David would play pastor and marry him and Cent. There would be food after and some cake as well. The honeymoon was a different story. John had that under wraps and was saving it as a secret for Cent only.

He showed them the small island and the beach, including the porch and deck that rested at the edge of the beautiful ocean.

Just by showing them what he built over the years, John himself was actually loving the creation that he had created out of this place. He was really starting to enjoy things again, which was new familiar and yet new to him. He was always enjoying his love for Cent that it opened the door for him to actually start enjoying other things as well.

If John didn't know any better, he was also starting to see David and Millie as his own parents. He even felt like that he loved them as his own parents and maybe he did. Some part of him knew that they couldn't replace his mother or his father, but another part of him also knew that they can be his new family. And he actually liked that.

John wished more than anything that his parents could be here for his wedding. He wanted them to see it. But... some part of him felt that they were watching him, proud of the man he has become today. After nearly six to seven years of a life that seemed like hell, he was now living heaven on Earth, all thanks to one girl. _Cent!_

"You are such an amazing man!" Millie hugged John as they came inside the house again. "Thank you so much for giving all of this to Cent! And thank you for loving her for who she is! You have no idea how much you make me happy for what you have done!"

John smiled and hugged back.

"On the contrary," he replied. "Thank you for having such an amazing daughter. You raised her right and I thank you two for that. You helped her turn into the woman she is today. The same woman that I fell in love with. It is you who should be thanked not me."

Millie blushed and said, "You're too kind."

David smiled and walked to John, patting him on the shoulder.

"You will be a great husband to my daughter, John," he said. "If you were willing to put your life on the line when Shaw kidnapped her, then you are Cent's true love and always will be. You care for her well-being and have always put her first before anything else. If you could do that as a boyfriend, then you will be a committed, loving husband, and someday, a father as well."

John lowered his head and said, "Yeah, I have doubts about being a father. It's one thing to marry your true love and all of that, but I also fear about me being a father. I haven't exactly had a great of history of being fully raised. I mostly raised myself when my parents died and a lot of that wasn't even legal."

David nodded.

"I once thought the same thing," he said. "I grew up with an abusive father and also a life without one as well. I feared becoming a father, just like you. I had anger, anger that scared me." He looked at Millie and smiled, taking her hand into his and pulling her towards him, where he planted a kiss on her lips. "Then Millie helped me realize how much of a good father I could be. It took me ten years to see it and also a kidnapping from some powerful enemies to finally get me to finally have a child..."

"Yeah! Kept me waiting for ten years!" Millie playfully elbowed David in the ribs.

John chuckled as he watched.

"I kept asking him for ten years for at least one child and just when I discovered that I was a Jumper and David was kidnapped, he finally agreed to have Cent," she smiled. "After all of those attempts of lingeries, half naked, and sexy bikinis, it took a kidnapping and a beautiful discover of my ability to finally break him."

"Well, sex can't always win at everything," David winked at her.

Millie raised an eyebrow back at him.

John laughed at how they were acting and said, "Cent was right. You guys do like teenagers. But hey, that isn't such a bad thing. At least your marriage is strong."

David and Millie smiled.

"True, it is," Millie replied and kissed David on the lips.

The sight of David and Millie kissing brought back a memory of when John last saw parents, who shared their last kiss before their murder at the hands of Travis Shaw. He remembered how he loved seeing them kiss and express their love for one another. Just seeing Millie and David do the same thing make him smile and shred a tear or two as he was reminded of his own parents.

After they pulled away, David looked at John and said, "Remember this, John, no matter how much your past may seem to have on your future, there is always a choice to either make a better future or let your past consume your future. Always love those who love you..."

"And never let go," Millie finished and winked at him. "When you love someone very much, you don't let them go at all. You always hold on."

John smiled and said, "Thank you."

Millie frowned and asked, "For what?"

"For helping me realize just how lucky I am and that with Cent I still have a future ahead of me. Cent is my life now and she is the reason I still live today. Without her, I most likely will be lost and suicidal, looking for a way to end the pain."

David nodded and said, "But that's the thing. The only way to end the pain is with love and someone you can put your trust into. With men like us, that is hard to come by. We have trouble trusting and we find ourselves alone. But at least we have the love our life to take care of that."

Millie giggled and kissed David on the cheek.

"You're the best," she whispered.

"No, you're the best," David playfully argued.

Finally, they kissed again and started to moan.

John rolled his eyes, smiled, and said, "Master bedroom is down the hall. Feel free to enjoy the king-size bed."

David and Millie laughed and turned to look at him.

"As much as we want to enjoy our little _us _time here, we'll pass," Millie smiled. "We know better than to do that here. Besides, you and Cent have already done it in that same bedroom, as she told me." She raised an eyebrow.

John's cheeks became red and said, "Yeah, that would be a little awkward now that you mention it."

David laughed and said, "That is why we are going to one of our secret locations somewhere else. We'll leave you alone. Besides, me and Millie need to talk about the wedding."

"Not that there will be much talking," Millie joked and kissed David again.

Without warning, they jumped for their unknown destination.

John laughed and looked outside, where the sun was beginning to set.

Feeling tired, he allowed himself to fall right on the couch and fell right to sleep.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Despite being a little tires, Cent was having a blast with her friends in Paris.

After shopping at almost fifty different stores, the girls finally found their dresses that they wanted to wear for the wedding. Emily got a blue silk dress, while Ashley got a red dress, and Rachel a green dress. Zoe decided to have fun with her money and bought a yellow silk dress that made her look like an angel from Heaven.

As much as Cent wanted to buy a dress for herself, she wanted to spend that moment with her mother and also Zoe. So she just sat by and judged for the girls on their dresses. She had fun doing it too.

After the shopping, they jumped back to Los Angeles, where they went to go see the romance movie with Keira Knightley, which they all enjoyed and even exited the movie theater in tears from how the movie ended. It reminded them of how Titantic was, only more sad.

After dropping the girls off their houses, Cent saved Zoe's place for last.

As they appeared on the sidewalk, outside the University, they couldn't help but laugh at how emotional Ashley, Emily, and Rachel were.

"Okay, Cent, you have such amazing friends!" Zoe said. "Now I wish I ran away with you when you first came here."

They laughed at her joke.

"Me too!" Cent replied, calming down. "That was a good movie wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was," Zoe agreed. "Only the ending had a little remembrance to how Titanic ended. Without the icy water and sudden death and all of that."

"Yeah, but that Keira Knightley sure does know how to give us such an amazing romance story."

"So, what time should I come over tomorrow?" Zoe asked. "Since me and your mother will be helping you with the wedding dress and all of that."

"Come over to my parent's house sometime in the morning," Cent winked. "And have a nice night with Jason."

"Oh, don't worry," Zoe winked back. "I will."

Cent smiled as she jumped away.

* * *

Appearing on the back porch of the beach house, Cent slipped off her shoes and carried them inside the house. She looked around and smiled at her home.

This was one of the greatest presents that John had ever given her. She loved how big it was and how beautiful the porch and deck were. The hot tub and sauna were just a great addition to everything. And the best part, they didn't have to pay any bills. Well, with the exception of the electric generators that have to be replaced every ten years, but those were no problem to what was right in front of her.

But the one gift that beat it all, was having John himself in her life.

Cent saw John on the couch, having fallen asleep from nearly a whole day of showing Millie and David the house.

Smiling, Cent sat her shoes down and tiptoed right to him, crawling right next to his warm body and wrapping her arms around him. She felt his arms going around her as well. She even felt his lips against her forehead.

"How did it go?" he asked.

Cent smiled again and said, "Very good in fact. My friends took it well. Even Zoe had a blast at watching them get all excited for our engagement and about my secret ability. By the way, Zoe is bringing her boyfriend to the wedding."

John chuckled.

"Looks like he will be in for a big surprise when he learns what we can do," he said. "And Zoe has a _boyfriend_?"

Cent giggled at his surprised voice.

"Yes, his name is Jason," she replied. "Apparently, they have been dating for the past two weeks now. You should have heard her talk about him. It was exactly how it was with you." She giggled. "I was surprised that she hadn't told me before today."

"Perhaps she was waiting for the right time," John kissed her neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Cent returned his kiss on the lips and rested her head on his shoulder.

They both fell asleep in their embrace, completely lost in their own dreams.

* * *

**Okay, maybe this was a little rushed, but I think we got a lot of it covered now. And wow! This chapter was long and hard to write. I think it might be my biggest chapter yet. I hope you guys liked it. :)**

**The next chapter should focus on the wedding and the one after that will be the final chapter for the story. ;)**

**I would like to thank Marie King and Rose for their amazing support for my story! You guys rock! ;)**

**Please review on how you liked the chapter! ;)**


	34. The Big Day

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**This next chapter will focus on the wedding for Cent and John. We will meet Zoe's boyfriend in this chapter and also get to see Ashley, Emily, and Rachel for the final time. The next chapter will be the final and will focus directly on Cent and John only, the way it is supposed to be. I will try my best to give you all the satisfaction that everything for the other characters will be alright and that their futures ahead of them are bright. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. ;)**

**Just a reminder, I do not own anything or anyone from this story. It all belongs to Steven Gould.**

**Also, for those who are confused by why this story doesn't follow the third novel in the Jumper series, "Impulse", this story only follows the first two novels in the series and completely ignores the third story. In a way, I'm telling my own version of "Impulse" and creating a whole new universe of how I see it. I still mention certain events from the past novels in order to confirm the connection with the first two installments. But remember, the stories for David and Millie still happened. The story for Cent in "Impulse" did not. Like I said, this my own universe. ;)**

**As the wedding draws near, John pays a long overdue visit and finally does the one thing he could never do. Cent and Millie share an emotional moment. With the arrival of old and new friends, the beginning of "happily-ever-after" starts here!**

**Get ready for a wedding ladies and gentlemen! Here is chapter thirty four! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four:**

**The Big Day **

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

"Oh my god! You look so beautiful!" Zoe exclaimed as she put her hands over her mouth.

Cent stepped out of the bathroom, with her mother right behind her. She had on a white wedding dress that went all the way to the tip of her toes. It sparkled as the sun shined through the window of the master bedroom.

Zoe threw off of the bed and ran towards Cent, taking both of her hands and studying the dress over. She smiled and allowed a tear to fall down her cheek.

"I really think we made the right choice," Zoe said. "After hours of searching yesterday in Venice, Italy, we finally found the perfect dress for you! You look so amazing in this dress."

Cent smiled as she remembered their time from the day before. They had taken their time to go to Venice and shop there. Millie had the most fun out of everyone. She was always the shopaholic in the family.

Millie came around and smiled, forming tears of her own.

"Now this is how a woman is supposed to look like for her _big day_!" Millie clapped her hands together. "You are a knockout, my beautiful daughter! John is going to be speechless!"

Cent laughed and said, "Lets just hope that I can manage to not let him see in this before the wedding."

Zoe frowned and asked, "Isn't the rule is that the groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding? It's supposed to be bad luck and trust me, you don't want that on your wedding day."

Cent chuckled and replied, "In less than two months, I have fallen in love in the best man on the planet, survived a master assassin, and also learned of a secret organization who happens to be worse than anyone else my family has faced before. Yeah, I think I can handle some bad luck. Me and John have been through worse."

"True," Zoe smiled. "By the way, I told Jason everything."

Cent and Millie's eyes widened.

"How did he take it?" Cent asked.

Zoe half-smiled and said, "Actually, he seemed to take it pretty well, but I can tell that he doesn't exactly believe me. He's just trying to be a gentleman and all of that. But I do love it when he gets worried, especially about me. It makes him look so cute."

Cent and Millie giggled together.

"Sounds like things are going to be alright," Millie encouraged her. "Besides, I remember my first time when David revealed his ability to jump to me. I was scared for a little while about it, but I soon got over it and it just became part of my life. _Literally._"

"Wait, I thought you have the ability to jump too," Zoe was confused.

"Oh, I do," Millie explained. "I just didn't know that I was the same as David until years later. That was the same time that me and him were arguing about having children. Ten years in our marriage and the stupid idiot couldn't even give me a child due to his fear of being a horrible father."

Zoe and Cent laughed.

"How did you manage to convince him to have Cent?" Zoe asked.

"I started off by trying to seduce him, which I may have went a little overboard on a few occasions, but with no success. But the one thing that finally got him to finally agree was when he was kidnapped by a terrorist organization that wanted to use him for their purposes. That was the same time I learned about my ability to jump, which allowed me to save him. After that, he realized just how much I wanted a child and finally gave in to me. That was when we finally went into hiding in Canada."

Zoe and Cent smiled as they listened to her story.

It amazed Cent at just how awesome her parents are. They've faced government agencies, terrorist organizations, and even managed to hold onto the love that they had for each other. Now it was happening with Cent and John. Almost like a cycle that redoing the same thing over and over again.

Zoe broke the moment as she clapped her hands and studied the bedroom, all excited and impressed.

"I just love this beach house!" she stated. "I cannot believe that John built this place by himself. Then again, having the ability to jump can help with a lot of things. I'm so jealous of you Cent!"

Cent blushed and said, "I guess I'm just lucky to have such amazing boyfriend. Err, fiancée I mean."

Millie raised an eyebrow and said, "Lucky?! This is more than luck, this is love! He built this place and then gave it to you on birthday for jeeps sake! All he cares about is you and only you! John completely reminds me of David, back when he was younger."

"Yeah!" Zoe agreed. "I mean, I can tell that John is just the perfect guy for you Cent. He's your one true love and he's proven it not only in words, but in actions as well. He put his life on the line to safe you from Shaw and even gave so many gifts. But I can also see it in your eyes that he has also given you something more powerful and better than any of this... _true love_."

Millie nodded in agreement.

"Luck has nothing to do with this," Millie added. "All of this was because of love. Like you said, it all started when a simple look in the eyes between the two of you and it spread like wild fire. I mean, you two are now getting married, within two months into your guys relationship. It took me and David to finally marry within a year or two in our relationship."

Cent smiled and said, "Thank you guys for everything. Your words mean so much to me." She paused. "I just cannot wait to get married today! So nervous and so excited, I feel like I'm going to freak out."

Millie laughed.

"Get use to it," she winked. "It was the same when me and David got married. I still remember it like as if it was yesterday. David was so handsome and cute in his tuxedo. Too bad those kinds of events only happen once in a life time. I wish I could do it all over again. Just to relive that special moment."

Zoe's cell phone suddenly rang, making her jump.

Millie and Cent giggled.

Zoe reached into her back pocket and took out her cell phone.

"It's Jason," she smiled. "I'll take this outside. He's probably wanting to know when the wedding is."

Answering her phone, she walked out of the master bedroom.

Cent chuckled and turned to look at her mother.

"What do you think?" she turned her sides left and right, making the dress twist and turn. "Will this be alright?"

Millie smiled and said, "Yes, of course it will! John will be shocked from how beautiful you look! That dress is more than alright, it's _perfect_! Just like you, my beautiful baby daughter!" A few tears began to fall down her cheeks. "I always knew this day would come. I just never knew that it would come so early. I'm so proud of you Cent. Always remember that."

Feeling tears form in her eyes, Cent threw her arms around her mother and hugged her.

Millie hugged back, continuing to cry tears of joy along with her daughter.

The one thing that Cent always loved about her relationship with her mother was that they weren't like other modern-day mother and daughter relationships. They understood each other and know what the other is going through. Millie was there for her whenever she needs comfort and Cent was there for Millie whenever she needed to be reminded of herself. In a way, their relationship was stronger than ever and nothing was going to change that.

Smiling, Cent remembered the old days when she was a little girl. Millie and her used to play a game of dolls and sometimes imagine her own wedding. It was something that they loved to do because they knew that day would happen in the future and was their way of _auditioning _for it.

When they parted, they wiped their tears off of their cheeks, calming down.

"Now I understand why my mother cried when she found out I was getting married to David," Millie chuckled. "I'm so happy for you Cent. I just know that you and John will have a great married life. Within the next few years, you'll have a family of your own and I'll be a grandma. Hard to believe how far you and me have come in your lifetime."

Cent smiled and said, "For a fifty-two year old mother, you're still looking pretty hot."

They laughed at her joke.

"You making fun of me missy?!" Millie teased. "But true, I still manage to keep myself looking young. Besides, didn't you hear? Fifty-two is the new thirty-two."

Cent laughed so hard she nearly fell to the ground.

"Watch it there young lady," Millie chuckled. "We wouldn't want to ruin your wedding dress on _the big day_."

"Right," Cent calmed herself down.

"So, where is John?" Millie asked. "I just love how good he and David decorated the porch and the small area on the sand with flowers. I wanted to thank him for such beautiful work, but I couldn't find him.

Cent smiled and replied, "Oh, I think he's paying a long overdue visit to someone or something like that. He said he needed to do whatever he needed to do alone."

"Still, I couldn't believe that he and David did a shaped-heart on the sand with red flowers. That thing is huge. John is definitely a romantic! I'm so excited to have him as a son-in-law."

"Just make sure that you don't kill him," Cent teased.

Millie's mouth dropped, playfully.

"What?! I would never do that!" she played along. "I'm a good mother, including the whole "in-law" thing."

Cent laughed along with her.

"Anyway, I need to change back into my original clothes," Cent walked back to the bathroom. "Me and Zoe are going to pick up her boyfriend and the other three girls. Don't want to leave anyone behind."

Millie nodded and asked, "By the way, are Ashley, Emily, and Rachel going to tell their boyfriends about us? Or are they going to keep it a secret from them?"

"Keep it a secret from them," Cent answered. "They felt that telling them about us might be a little too much. But I think they're okay with not telling them. Ashley said that it gives them a nice advantage point ahead of them."

Millie laughed and said, "I miss those old days when I had friends like that. Enjoy it while you still can Cent, it doesn't last forever." She winked.

Cent winked and said, "I know. That is why I'm marrying the one person who can last forever fore me."

"Well, I'm going to check up on my dear old husband and make sure he isn't getting into any trouble with the food. He has a thing for chips and hamburgers."

Cent laughed as she watched her mother exit the bedroom.

Walking into the bathroom, she changed from her wedding dress to her plain old green t-shirt and blue jeans. After that, she went to check up on Zoe outside, who had just finished her phone conversation with Jason.

"You ready?" Cent asked.

Zoe nodded as she put away her cell phone.

"Yep," she responded, smiling. "Jason is ready and he has my dress and his tuxedo ready to go."

"Then lets go get him and the girls," Cent winked.

Taking Zoe's hand, they jumped to the university in Los Angeles.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

In a cemetery outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, John stood at the center of two tombstones. The wind blew across the field, like a silent death that the movies always have. The sky was clear and the sun was shining bright. But for some reason, it just felt dark to John as he stood there.

He stared at the two tombstones for almost two full hours, not moving a single muscle. He didn't even bother to read the names engraved on the stones, he already knew who laid to rest here and their names. But the urge to finally read them was too hard to control and decided just to read the names.

One stone read: **William J. Bale**

And the other: **Martha L. Bale**

This was the site where his parents were buried after their deaths at the hands of Travis Shaw. John remembered the funeral well. It was filled with friends and other people who loved his family dearly. The sad part was that there were no other relatives. No other family members. It was just him. Shaw had covered up the murders to make it look like a gang hit. The funeral was hard for John to be at, but he went anyway. He remembered crying and watching from afar. The police were after him for information and his friends were worried about him deeply. It pained him that he was forced to live without his friends and without his parents as well. The funeral was the last time he ever saw their graves. It was too hard for him to come and pay his respects. But he knew that he needed to do it now, especially after everything that has happened. He needed to put this part of his life behind him and move on.

Just as he read his mother's name on the tombstone, a memory came to mind. A very special moment from a very long time ago.

* * *

_A eight year old John ran in the backyard of the house he once lived in. He ran after his old dog, Jackie. Playing a game of tag with him._

_This was a time before Shaw or even his ability to jump came along. A time when everything was normal and just perfect. No enemies, no special abilities. Just a normal kid with a normal life and family._

_The dog, Jackie, was a German Shepard. John's father, William, found him when he was a puppy and raised him up as his own. Even Martha adored Jackie. But no one had more fun with that dog than John did. The two were best pals and the best of friends. But it wouldn't last long as within that same year, Jackie would die from being run over by a car. It was a moment that hit John hard, but he managed to move on from it._

_As John ran in circles, trying to get away from Jackie, laughing himself to death, he heard the beautiful voice of his mother calling him._

_"John!"_

_With a huge smile on his face, John took off running towards his mother, while being chased down by Jackie. When reaching her, Jackie pounced on them, licking them._

_"Okay, Jackie, we love you too!" Martha laughed._

_Picking up her son and sitting at the edge of the porch of their house, she tickled John._

_"Mommy!" John yelled in his childish voice. "Stop it!"_

_"You can't stop the tickle monster!" Martha sang and laughed._

_Finally stopping, Martha sat John up and looking at him straight in his eyes._

_Touching the side of his face, she said, "My special John Bale! I do love you so much, son! Always remember that!"_

_"I will mommy!" John cheered. "We will always love each other! That is what family does, right? We always love each other and never leave each other, because we will always be in each other's hearts. Even when we die."_

_Martha felt a tear fall down her cheek._

_Noticing the tear, John wiped it away, and asked, "Why are you crying mommy? Did I do something wrong?"_

_Martha smiled and said, "No, John. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just crying tears of joy of how much love is inside your heart. Out of all of the children in this world, you still keep that same innocents inside of you." She paused as she kissed him on the forehead._

_"Ew!" John giggled. "Cutties!" _

_Martha laughed._

_"Promise me something John," said in a very slow, calm voice._

_John smiled and touched her cheek with his hand, just as she always did for him._

_"Of course, mommy," he said. "I can keep any promise you can ask of me."_

_Shredding more tears, Martha took both of his hands onto the palm of her own and covered them with the other._

_"Promise me that you will never lose that innocents inside of your heart," she pleaded. "Promise me that you will never hurt other people and that you will never take vengeance into your own hands. Please promise me that no matter what happens, you will make a better future for yourself and live your life to the fullest. I just want to know that you will always have this part of you when you grow older. The part that will separate you from the others. Promise me, John."_

_John nodded, smiling his most adorable smile, "I promise."_

* * *

Tears formed up in John's closed eyes as he remembered that moment from his earlier life from so long ago. It pained his heart and also made him smile as he actually remembered his own mother's face in years.

Opening his eyes, John knelt down between the two tombstones, on his knees.

Somehow, he found the will to speak.

"Hi, mom," he swallowed back more tears. "Hi, dad." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry I haven't come here in a long time. It just seemed easy not to. I guess I got caught up on staying in hiding that I just got more scared to even think about coming here." He paused again. "I killed the man who did this to you. He's gone. No longer a threat to me or to those I love. But I hope you are happy with the fact that I didn't take vengeance. I only killed him because he was trying to kill someone I love so much. It wasn't out of vengeance, but out of defense. His name was Travis Shaw. An assassin who worked for the organization known as Syndicate. They specialize in kidnapping Jumpers and using them for their purposes. They agreed to let me live my life because Shaw was becoming a problem for them and with me killing him, made them promise to leave me and everyone I love alone as a reward."

Finally the tears came, but he controlled them one by one.

"I could feel it everyday," he continued. "Every since I lost you guys, I was losing myself to this aloneness that has followed me for a long time now. It felt like a darkness that was just taking over my life. I was beginning to become like Shaw, in a way. It feels like scar that will never stop hurting, and I think it will always be there. I hate what it has been doing to me over the past few years. It just feels like I have nothing to hold onto. You two are gone and my friends have all moved on with lives." He paused again as he smiled. "But I've something to hold onto. I met a very special girl. Her name is Cent Mary Rice. And she is just amazing! I've also fallen deeply in love with her. She has given me a reason to hold onto my innocents once more and also given me something to live for as well. _Love. _That is what she is to me. My true love."

Looking towards the grave of his father, he said, "You were right. You once told me to hold onto the one person I will always love and never let go of her. And I promise to do exactly that. I will never let Cent go and never fail her. I love her with all of my heart and I will not allow her slip right pass me."

He then turned towards his mother.

"I made you a promise that I will never change and never allow my innocents to be lost, I will always keep that promise forever and ever. With Cent in my life now, I will live it to the fullest and make every moment count. I wish you both could be there for our wedding tonight, but like I said once before, you will always be in my heart and that will be more than enough for me. I promise to you both that I will make the best of this relationship and try to be the best husband I can be to Cent, my beautiful fiancée."

Getting up off of his knees, John said for the final time, "This will be the last time I come here. I came here to say goodbye and that you will always be alive in my heart and that I will always remember you both. But I need to let go of my past in order to move on with my life. And I plan of starting with marrying Cent. After today, Tulsa, Shaw, Syndicate, and the life I knew on the run, are all history, gone from my life. But you two will never be just history to me. I will make the best of what I have now and live to the fullest. I love you both and I always will. So, goodbye, mom and dad."

With those final words to the graves of his parents, he jumped back to the beach house.

* * *

Landing in the living room, he noticed Millie and David outside, preparing the food. He laughed when David tried to steal a hamburger, only to be slapped on the hand by Millie.

Heading towards the master bedroom, he changed from his ordinary clothes to his tuxedo, preparing for the wedding ahead.

Before he exited the bedroom, he closed his eyes and imagined his parents right in front of him, smiling their approval of what he had told them earlier before.

Smiling, he thought, _I promise, mom and dad!_

Without hesitation, he walked towards the slide door of the house and went outside, helping David and Millie prepare.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Both Cent and Zoe appeared outside of the university, at their usual spot. They walked up to the front doors of the large building and entered, climbing a flight of stairs up to where the dorm rooms were.

Arriving at room 133, Zoe used her key to unlock the door and them in.

Cent ran to the bed and jumped on it, landing on her back.

"So, why did you choice a single dorm room?" Cent asked. "I thought you would want some company."

Zoe chuckled and said, "Oh, I decided that I was better off in a single dorm room. At first they wouldn't give me one, but a little flirting with the guy at the counter got me the deal. He was actually cute."

Cent laughed and said, "Of course, you are always the one who puts the looks and talking to work. No man can resist you."

"And they better watch out too!" Zoe joked as she landed right next Cent on the bed.

"What time is Jason coming over?" Cent asked.

Zoe checked her watch and said, "In a few minutes. I cannot wait for you to meet him. I just love being with him."

Cent smiled and said, "Sounds like your in love."

"Maybe I am," Zoe winked. "I cannot wait to see my best friend in the world wide world finally lose her single licenses to marry the man of her dreams. This should be the greatest moment in your entire life!"

"It is my greatest moment!" Cent agreed. "And when you and Jason get married, I will be there to celebrate with you."

Zoe's cheeks became red.

"You know, we should have play dates for our children," Zoe realized. "When we finally do have kids, I mean."

"We should," Cent smiled. "I would love that. It would give us time to talk and our kids to have some fun. I'll be waiting till that day happens."

"Me too," Zoe looked up at the ceiling. "Funny how far we come, huh? Remember back when we were young and we first met? Our friendship grew and grew, now we are grown ups, making our own decisions, falling in love and just living our lives to the fullest."

"I know," Cent smiled as she remembered those moments as well. "It's hard to imagine that we have made it this far and are just realizing it. I really miss our old life in Seattle. Things just seemed so simple then. But I wouldn't trade what we have now. I found my true love and you are being to fall for Jason, not to mention starting a new life here."

"And don't forget that we both get to continue our friendship here," Zoe added. "I love that you will be going to this same college after near year. We will get to see each other more often. And I also get to see my beautiful Jason as well. But I do know what you mean. I miss our old life in Seattle. But like you said, I wouldn't trade what we have now either. I just love my new life here."

"Yeah, me too," Cent agreed. "I seriously cannot wait to marry John! This is going to be the best day of my life!"

"By the way, where are you guys going for your honeymoon?" Zoe asked, curious.

Cent frowned and replied, "I don't know. He won't tell me. He said he wanted to save it as a surprise for me. Not even my parents know. He says he wants it to be the final wedding present for me."

"In speaking of presents, I think you will love what I got you," Zoe winked.

Cent raised an eyebrow and said, "I'll believe it when I see it."

Suddenly, a knock came from the door.

Zoe's eyes widened and she jumped off the bed, all excited.

"It's him!" she cheered and ran to the door.

Opening the door, a tall, black hair, very tan man walked right through, carrying a small gym bag, already in his tuxedo. He smiled as he saw Zoe and walked right towards her.

"Hello, beautiful," he winked.

Zoe blushed and threw her arms around him, hugging him.

Setting the bag down, Jason moved his arms around Zoe and picked her off the ground, breathing into neck.

Cent smiled as she watched them in their little romantic moment. They completely reminded Cent of John and her, back when things were like this for them. Well, in a way, they were still acting like this.

As she studied Jason, she noticed how well-fit he was and could see his physical potential to be in acting business. In a way, he really did remind her of John.

As they finally broke apart, taking in Cent's presence, Zoe coughed and said, "Oh, this is my dear friend, Cent. The one I told you about."

"Wow!" he said in amazement at Cent. "You know, you described her very perfectly Zoe." Jason looked at Cent and smiled. "You really do look like an angel."

"An angel?" Cent raised an eyebrow at Zoe.

Zoe shrugged and said, "I can over exaggerate sometimes."

"Except that you were right," he walked right up to Cent and shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Zoe has talked a lot about you. From what I hear, you are her best friend from Seattle. But she also mentioned that you are also called a... Jumper?"

Cent giggled and said, "Yes, that would be right. I have the ability to teleport anywhere. But me and my family prefer to call it jumping, which is also why we also call ourselves Jumpers."

Jason nodded, but she could tell that he was having trouble actually accepting what she was telling him.

"Well, in that case, I hear that we need to catch a wedding in the Caribbean," Jason smiled and walked back to pick up the bag. "Better get going. Wouldn't want you to miss you big day." He winked at her.

Cent couldn't believe how well he was actually taking this. He was truly a gentleman and he knew how to make a girl feel special. She was beginning to see why Zoe was falling in love with him. She looked at Zoe, mouthing to her, _Is he always like this?_

Zoe smiled and mouthed back, _Only 24/7. _

Making a small giggle, Cent walked up to Zoe and explained, "In order for this to work you need to hold hands with either the person who can jump or the person who is connected with the person who can jump."

Jason walked towards Zoe and took her hand, kissing it as he did.

Zoe giggled and kissed him on the cheek.

Cent smiled at the sight and asked, "Ready?"

"Ready when you two are," Jason replied, winking at Zoe, making her blush.

Without another word, Cent jumped.

* * *

They appeared outside the back side of the high school, right where Ashley, Emily, and Rachel said they would meet them.

Both Cent and Zoe looked at Jason, whose eyes were huge from shock and trying to take everything in.

"You... you just..." he could barely speak.

Zoe smiled and kissed him on the lips, calming him down.

"I told you she could teleport," she said.

Jason kissed her back and said, "Sorry I didn't believe you."

"It's okay," Zoe chuckled. "I wouldn't have believed me either. But isn't it amazing what she can do?"

Jason nodded and put his forehead against her, holding both sides of her cheeks.

Cent smiled as she watched. This was totally how it was with her and John.

Looking around, Cent searched for her friends.

"Cent!" Ashley yelled behind them.

Turning around, she saw them, already in their dresses that they picked out from Paris. They ran to her and Zoe, hugging them both at the same time.

"What took you so long?!" Ashley teased and winked at them. "Guys have been hitting on us as we waited!"

"Some thought that we were waiting for prom or something," Rachel added.

"Yeah," Emily said. "I just cannot stand how some guys can be total jerks!"

"Sounds like those men don't know how to treat a lady," replied Jason as he listened.

All three girls looked at him and studied him over.

Rachel whistled and asked, "Who's the hot guy?"

Zoe's face lit up red from jealousy

"Hey, hands off!" she warned them. "This one is _mine_!"

Cent laughed and said, "Besides, don't you guys already have boyfriends?"

"True," Ashley said. "But it isn't like we're getting married." She winked at Cent.

Cent laughed and introduced Jason to them.

"Meet Jason," she said. "He's Zoe's boyfriend."

"And Zoe is my true love," Jason added as he walked up and kissed Zoe right in front of everyone.

All three girls smiled and all said at the same time, "Awwww!"

Cent rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Okay!" she said out loud. "We should get going. Don't want to keep the rest of the gang waiting."

Zoe and Jason smiled at each other and then joined everyone as they gathered together.

Concentrating on the beach house, Cent jumped everyone at once.

* * *

Just like that, they all appeared on the porch of the beach house. Where the sun was still high in the sky.

Ashley, Emily, and Rachel took in their surroundings in amazement and couldn't speak. Finally, they let out a scream of excitement and jumped up and down.

"Wow! You weren't kidding!" Emily yelled. "John really did build one heck of beach house!"

"Not to mention that it is on a private island in the Caribbean!" Rachel added.

"And that John actually gave you all of this!" Ashley ran up and hugged her. "You have the best boyfriend, future husband ever!"

"Yeah, you do!" Emily agreed. "By the way, where is John?"

"I don't know," Cent looked around for him once Ashley let go of her. "Must be inside or something."

Millie and David came out of the house and smiled as they saw everyone.

"Well, glad to see everyone made it," Millie said. "Who's ready for a wedding?!"

Everyone yelled in excitement, including Zoe and Jason.

"You must be Jason," Millie walked up and shook his hand. "Zoe talks quite a lot about you."

Jason smiled and said, "Really? I didn't know that." He winked at Zoe, making her blush again.

"Hey, where is John?" Cent asked her parents.

"Oh, he's down stairs in the basement, getting some champagne," David answered. "He wants the celebration to be done properly. Me and your mother agreed that everyone can have a small glass of it, just for tonight."

Cent smiled as she heard the girls quietly say "yes" to each other.

"Anyway," Zoe grabbed Cent by the arm and took Jason's gym bag that had her dress. "We should get ready. Me and Cent still need to get our dresses on and since everyone else here is already in their dresses and tuxedoes, you can all get ready right where that huge flower heart is. And as for you...," she pointed and winked at Jason, "... no peeking. The same for John as well."

Cent smiled and laughed as Zoe led her into the house and into the master bedroom.

"Hurry up, future Mrs. Cent Bale!" Zoe teased as she began to change from her clothes and into her dress. "We don't got all day you know!"

Cent laughed and said, "My day, my wedding. So, I'll take my precious time, thank you very much!"

They both laughed at her joke.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

John carried up a bottle of champagne from the basement. He managed to convince David and Millie to allow them all to get away with at least having one small glass for a toast. He smiled as he remembered a moment when he and Cent had wine on one of their dates.

Just as he reached the top of the stairs, he heard talking and smiled as he walked into the kitchen, where he sat the bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice to keep it cold. Walking outside and onto the porch, where everyone was, he was greeted by Cent's friends and David and Millie as well.

"John, you must meet Jason," Millie took him by the elbow and led him to Jason.

John smiled and presented his hand towards him.

"Pleasure to meet you," John greeted. "Zoe talks about you a lot. You are one lucky man." He winked at him.

Jason smiled and shook his hand.

"Well, thank you," he said. "But I think you are the lucky one tonight. Cent is an amazing woman. I'm just amazed by what she can do."

"You have no idea," John winked again.

"Alright people!" Millie started to take order. "Lets get ready for a wedding that we will never forget!"

Everyone cheered.

"Alright, here's what is going to happen!" Millie started to explain. "John and David are going to be in the center of that red flower heart-shape in the sand, while me and all of you will form a pattern with the outline of the heart. Zoe will come out and take her place wherever she may choose and David will lead Cent to the center of the heart, where he will marry both Cent and John. And lets just have a fun night, because we all love weddings and seeing two people just become bounded together through love forever. Lets show this world how a _real _wedding and a _real _party is done!"

Everyone cheered again, even John and Jason, along with Millie.

They all started taking their places in the sand.

John took his place in the middle of the shaped heart of flowers, while everyone took their places on the outline of the flowers, standing wherever they love to be.

_Here we go! _John told himself. _This is it!_

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Cent and Zoe finished dressing up just as they heard a knock on the door.

"You girls ready?" David asked before entering.

"You can come on in Dad," Cent called back as she reached for the flowers that were on the bed, taking them and holding them against her chest.

David entered and smiled once he saw Cent.

"Wow, you look beautiful Cent," he said, starting to form tears. "You really do. That dress just suits you so perfectly."

Cent smiled and replied, "Thanks dad. You look pretty good yourself."

David chuckled and said, "You should see your mother. She's the handsome one."

Cent and Zoe laughed.

"I'll get going," Zoe gave Cent two thumbs up and exited the room.

David kept his eyes on Cent and walked over to her, smiling as he studied her over.

"You really do look beautiful Cent," he repeated. "I'm surprised that this day has finally come. The day I hand you over to the man who will take care of you for the rest of your life. I'm very happy that man is John. I'm so proud of you Cent."

Cent allowed a few tears to fall down her cheek and wiped them away.

"Thank you dad," she said. "I love you and mom, always will. I promise to make the best with John and to never let him go."

"And from what I see, he doesn't plan on letting you go either," David smiled. "The thing I like about John is that despite everything that happened, all of the bad things that he was forced to endure, he never lost his innocents and somehow managed to hold onto his faith in love. He understands pain, loss, and even sacrifice, all of which have made him stronger and more determined to be better than he once was. I feel bad for him as well, because just like me, he has permanent pain that will never go away. I could see it in his eyes, the fear of darkness that threatens to destroy him. But now he has someone to hold onto, someone who can keep him from being consumed by his own darkness. That someone is you Cent. Please promise me that you will do your best to make sure your love for him never dies. Because I can tell that he will always be in love with you, no matter what."

Cent nodded and said, "I promise dad. I will never allow our love to die. I love him and I always will. He is my only love in this world. John is my life now and I am his life as well."

David nodded and allowed his daughter take him by the elbow.

"Shall we?" he asked.

Cent smiled and said, "Lets."

With that, her father led her from the bedroom and out of the house, where he then led her down the stairs of the porch.

During all of that, Cent had her head down and when she looked up, she saw John, looking beautiful and handsome in his tuxedo, smiling.

Just seeing him smile made her heart race and pound against her chest. Every nerve in her body begged for him. It took everything to control herself from flying across the sand to him.

_This is it! _she told herself, breathing in a breathe.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

Just as he saw David lead Cent down onto the sand and when she made eye contact with him, he felt himself go numb and his heart long for her. He was astounded with hos beautiful she looked in that wedding dress. To him, she was the greatest jewel on the face of the planet. The one thing and person in his life that can never be replaced.

Time slowed down as she drew closer to where he stood. He studied her every movement and couldn't help but feel his heart race.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, David handed Cent over to him and John took her hand, kissing her knuckles.

They smiled at each other and at the same time mouthed, _I love you_.

As they turned to face David, who held the two rings in his hands, they felt something pass between them as they held hands. Like as if something or _someone _was blessing them.

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Excitement rose in Cent's heart as she listened to her father get started with the ceremony.

"We are gathered here today, to celebrate the wedding of these two lovers, who have been through some much together in the past. Though they have met through such a hard and lonely path, filled with loss, sacrifice, and regret, love brought them together and formed a bond that can never be broken. Although they have been together for a short time, I have seen the love in their eyes and I've seen the fire that hungers them for each other. While they may be young and still have a lot to experience in this life, I know that this wedding is good for them and will help them prepare for their future together. Like the cycle always goes, lovers become husband and wife, and later on, parents..."

Cent smiled as the word _parents _rang through her ears. She never noticed John smile as well.

"... while these two still have a while to go before they can be parents," David continued, "they can start that journey by marriage and committing to their love that will last forever and ever. Now this road will be filled with many obstacles and dangers along the way, but with everlasting love and each other, nothing will keep them apart. They have faced obstacles over the past two months that have proven extremely challengeable. But despite everything they have been through, their love survived and they held onto each other. Now, they are ready to take on the world together through marriage and moving farther up in their relationship." He paused for a moment and winked at Cent. "You may now read your vows."

Knowing that she will go first, Cent turned to face John and spoke her vows from her own heart.

"I don't need a piece of paper to have everything that I feel, that is what my heart is for," she said. "John Bale, from the moment I met you, I was taken away by the feelings I had for you and I was drawn to you by the love that existed between each other. You and I both felt it on that first day. Every since then, I began to fall more madly, deeply, and strongly in love with you. After everything we went through together and the secrets I've learned from your past, I still love you and I always will. I promise to hold onto you and never let go. I promise to kiss you everyday of our lives and to eat your delicious breakfasts and dinners that you just love to do, which is usually what a woman is supposed to make."

Everyone laughed at her joke.

"But also promise to love you forever and ever and to never leave you. I promise to stick by you and to comfort you whenever you have trouble with certain memories or past pains that return to destroy you. Like you once said, "I'm a broken soul", well I am your fixer and your healer. I will always be there for you and never let you fall apart. You have lived a life alone and afraid, always fighting for your life. But now, the fighting is over and it is time to put away your need to fight and allow yourself to trust me. I will never betray you and I will always be here for you. I may not be a perfect woman, but I am a good person and all I can offer you is my love and trust. I guess the only thing to say left is that... _I love you, John Bale_!"

Taking the ring from her father's hand, she took John's left hand and placed the ring on his fourth finger.

Everyone smiled and remained silent, waiting for John to begin.

* * *

**John:**

* * *

For once in John's life, he was actually taken back by the words that Cent had spoken to him and he had no idea how he was going to top that. He could feel the tears falling down his cheek and he didn't even bother to stop them. He was allowing his own feelings and reactions go freely for the first time in years, just being happy.

Swallowing, John, started his own vows as well.

"Oh, I don't know how I can top that."

Everyone, even Cent, laughed.

"But I guess I can give it a shot," he winked and wiped away the tears. "Cent Mary Rice, I love you with all of my heart and I always will forever. I remember the day that I first laid eyes on you and I could never take them off of you. Like a beautiful rose, you shined bright out of everyone that I saw and I could never stop the love that took over after that. We barely said a full sentence to each other and I found myself trapped by you. But also, thanks you, I managed to find a reason to live. Before I met you, I lived life on the run and afraid. I never trusted anyone and I always kept to myself. Even though it was a big risk to go to school like everyone else, I still did and I didn't realize it, but I was looking for someone. Someone who could take away the pain that has haunted me since the death of my parents. By being trapped by you, I found the will to love again and it turned out that it was you I was looking for the entire time. I am a broken soul and I barely survive, but you came along and started to repair me when I was at the verge of collapse. When others would run and hide from a sight like me, you stayed and loved me, helped me heal, both physically and emotionally. I learned to love and trust again, the very two things that almost destroyed me and then were used by you to bring me back. I wish my parents were here to meet you. You are an amazing person and your parents did a hell of a job raising you into the woman you are today. You are strong, courageous, smart, independent, and also loving. Not to mention sexy in so many ways too."

Everyone laughed again.

"You are perfect Cent. You always will be in my eyes. I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of your days. I promise to never leave you or betray you. Even when the day comes when I die, death will never keep me from loving you. Both in life and death, including the afterlife, I will always love you. All I care about is you and your well-being. I once told you that I wanted to see the look in your eyes when you are finally ready for more than just a relationship, I also meant marriage as well and when I look into your eyes right now, I can see that you are fully ready and that you have the sparkle in your eyes that I have been waiting for to see. It is that same look that lets me know that I have finally done something right in my life and I hope that I can be everything that you want and love. I want to have children with you and watch them grow. I want to grow old with you and watch our grandkids come along. I don't care if the world believes that we shouldn't be together. I love you and you love me, that is all that matters."

John took the last ring from David's hand and also took Cent's left hand, putting the ring on her fourth finger, feeling the ring slip on perfectly.

With that, he closed his vows by saying, "I love you Cent. Always and forever. No one will ever claim my heart ever again."

Staring deep into her eyes, Cent was crying tears of joy from everything that he said and her face was completely wet.

David clapped his hands together and said, "With the power blessed in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your true love now."

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

By the time her father had given them permission to kiss, Cent didn't waste any time and threw her arms around John's neck and brought him against her, their lips clashing together and with their bodies pressed hard against the other.

As they kissed, Cent didn't hold back to make the kiss hard and powerful.

They didn't hear everyone clapping or even the cheering and shouting coming from Ashley, Emily, Rachel, and Zoe. They were lost in their own world, completely allowing their feelings to take over and fuel their love. The kiss felt like an eternity as they finally stopped for a breath and put their foreheads together.

Holding hands, they led everyone to the porch, where all of the food was waiting for them.

Sitting down, David was the one who made the toast once everyone filled a little bit of the champagne into their small glasses.

Using the spoon, David got up from his chair and tapped his glass cup.

"If I may have everyone's attention!" he called out, raising his cup in the air. "I would to make a toast."

Everyone raised their own cup and waited.

"To Cent and John," David said with love and excitement, "who have shown us what love truly is and why it is so important. As we may leave here tonight, a new beginning for these two lovers has begun. One that will expand across a generation that will soon come from them. To Cent and John!"

"To Cent and John!" everyone announced and drank to the toast.

Throughout the meal and the party, both John and Cent held hands and sat right next to each other, just completely happy to finally be married. They cut the cake and feed each other for fun, which Cent got a kick out of when John kissed her with frosting and chocolate all over their mouths.

The one thing that Cent couldn't take her eyes off of was the sight of Zoe and her boyfriend, Jason. Some part of her knew that things were differently going to change from here on out. Within a year or so, Zoe and Jason will marry each other and also raise a family of their own. Just like her and John will do one day as well. But another part of her was happy for that as well. She wanted Zoe to have a great life and fall in love. And just from the looks like it, she already has and things are looking great.

As for Ashley, Emily, and Rachel, they would be fine. Emily would definitely marry James one day, as would Ashley and Michael, and also as well Rachel and Robert. It was part of the circle of life and that was the beauty of it.

Somehow, Zoe found a way to escape Jason and also steal Cent from John.

While everyone was dancing, Cent and John laughed as Millie and David did their own _kind _of dancing with each other. It was even more fun with Ashley controlling the CD player and the music.

Feeling someone grab her arm, she turned to see Zoe, nodding her head away from the party. Getting up, she followed her across the deck and right towards the edge, where the deep water was.

"I'm so happy for you!" Zoe yelled with excitement. "I just know that you will have a perfect life now. What John said was truly amazing and I was completely in tears. He's such an amazing person and I feel like I could fall for him right now."

"Watch it there missy!" Cent teased. "That is my husband you're talking about!"

Zoe laughed along with her and said, "I'm just playing. Besides, I think I found my true love in Jason."

"I know," Cent raised an eyebrow at her. "I could tell."

"Yeah, it's true love, what are going to do?"

"Well, I say we grab our men and have them give us the dance of our lives," Cent smiled her mischief smile.

"Okay, lets go!" Zoe announced as they ran back to the porch.

While Zoe got Jason, Cent managed to make John get off his chair and drag him onto the dance floor, where they dance until the sun began to set in the background.

* * *

After a few more hours of partying, things started to quiet down and Cent knew that it was time for her and John to head out for their honeymoon. Wherever it was that John was taking them.

David and Millie offered to clean up and take everyone home, which made things more easier for Cent and John to just get out of there.

After changing back into their ordinary clothes, they said their goodbyes before leaving, which she received a lot of hugs from Ashley, Emily, and Rachel.

"Have fun on your honeymoon!" Zoe hugged Cent. "And please tell me all about it later on, okay?"

Cent smiled and said, "Of course I will. Besides, I'm just excited to learn exactly when we are going anyway. Have fun with the after party."

Zoe winked and said, "You bet ya! Just make sure you have fun, alright?"

Cent gave her a thumbs up and smiled.

After hugging her mother and father, she suddenly felt a pair of arms hug her from behind, she smiled and managed to turn around to face John.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

Cent nodded and moved her arms around him as well.

"I'm ready," she said. "Jump us to our honeymoon. Before somebody here ends up hugging me again."

John kissed her on the lips and said, "At your command, my love."

With that said, they jumped.

* * *

**Wow! Now that is the biggest chapter I have ever written! I wrote nearly 10,000 words on this single chapter alone! I hope you guys loved this chapter and I apologize if it was too big. I also apologize for the grammar errors as well. But I hope I did well with this part. I wanted it to be as emotional as possible and also tie up loose ends for some of the small time characters. I hope I did a great job showing that characters like Zoe, Ashley, Emily, and Rachel will be fine.**

**I still have one more chapter for you guys and that is chapter thirty five. We will finally tie up the final loose end of Cent and John. I hope you guys enjoy what I have in store for the next one. **

**By the way, the character, Zoe, is actually a based off of a friend of mine named "GeekyZoee". She had amazing stories on fanfiction, so feel free to check her out if you want to. **

**I would like to thank Marie King and Rose for their amazing support and reviews once again. Your guys are just amazing and thank you so much! ;)**

**Please review and let me know how you liked this chapter! ;)**


	35. Never Let Go

**Jumper: Cent's Story**

* * *

**Well, I really hate to say this, but we have finally reached the final chapter of this story. The end has come and it is time to say goodbye. But I hope that you guys enjoyed the story and just loved it as much as I did. I had a great time writing this story and I loved writing the characters as well. Cent was a hard character to write, since I never read the third novel and don't know what her personality is like or her physical appearance, but I managed to write my own version of her. Travis Shaw is my biggest villain creation yet and perhaps my most scariest as well. John Bale was just my favorite character out of all that I have written about. But I really had a hell of a ride doing this story and I'm excited to say that this story is one step closer to being called "completed".**

**Oh, yeah, this story will return to just the third point of view on Cent. Since this is her story and it began with her, it should end with her as center of the point of view. But don't worry, we will see a lot of John too. ;)**

**I would like to thank Marie King, Rose, and GeekyZoee for their amazing support and reviews that they have provided for me over the chapters. Honestly, without them, this story wouldn't even be where it is today. And by the way, check them all out, they are amazing writers and you will love what they have for their stories. ;)**

**I would like to say thank you to GeekyZoee for allowing me to use you for the creation of the character "Zoe" in this story. I had a great time and I hope you like how I did your character for the story. :)**

**Cent and John go on their honeymoon and finally come realize their new found freedom. **

**Well, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the final chapter! Please enjoy and have a fun time reading this final installment to the story! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five:**

**"Never Let Go"**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

Holding onto to her husband, Cent felt themselves being transported from the beautiful private beach house in the Caribbean to someplace else, where the wind was blowing strong against them. With her eyes closed and not daring to open them just yet, she could feel John chuckling as she buried her face into his chest.

"Are you going to hide against my chest forever?" John teased. "Come on, open your eyes and see where I have brought us for our honeymoon. Trust me, I think you will love it."

"Not until you give me a reason," she teased.

John laughed and said, "Because, as newly wed-lovers, we are supposed to... what's the word that they use? Oh yeah, consummate our marriage. Think about it... you and me, in our comfy hotel room, tearing each other's cloths off and snuggling under the covers, finally married and free to live our lives together forever."

Cent giggled and responded, "No offense or anything, but haven't we _snuggled _under covers on more than one occasions?"

John kissed the top of her head and whispered, "But you're missing all of the fun that is going on right here. We have a whole day to ourselves right now."

_A whole day? _Cent wondered.

Then she figured it out that he meant the other side of the world. But the real question was where they were?

"Where are we?" Cent asked.

"I'm not telling you," John smiled. "Not until you either open your eyes or guess it right."

"I'll try guessing, I love that game," she played along with him.

"Alright, shoot."

"Italy?"

"Close, but no."

"France?"

"No," John chuckled.

"Britain?"

"Way off!" John teased her. "Try again."

Thinking about it, she tried to come up with other places she hasn't named yet.

"Egypt?"

"Don't like the heat there," John explained.

Unable to come up with anymore theories on where they were, Cent finally opened her eyes and took a look at where John had brought them.

Once she saw the beautiful city, her mouth dropped and she nearly collapsed from shock, only to be caught by John.

They were, in fact, literally standing on top of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. John supported himself and Cent as they looked over the beautiful city of Istanbul, admiring the view and nice day as the sun shined upon them and everything else there was.

"Are... are... we in..." Cent could barely speak.

"Yes, Cent," he whispered against her neck. "I've brought us Istanbul for honeymoon. I once heard from you that you wanted to come here."

"But that was like three weeks ago that I told you that and it was only mentioned once," she looked at him with a shocked expression. "How could you even remember me saying that?"

John smiled and kissed her on the lips.

"When you are in love," he explained, "you always remember everything. And I mean, _everything_." He paused for a moment. "And Istanbul is just the first stop for us."

Cent looked at him shocked once again.

"What?"

"Our honeymoon isn't just in Istanbul, it's just the first stop for us right," he explained to her. "We have reservations for two nights here at the Swissotel The Bosphorus Hotel, where a large suite is waiting for us. Then it is off to Venice, where I have reserved a suite for another three nights at the Cipriani Hotel. And then, Paris, where I also reserved a suite at the Hotel Lutetia for another three nights. And finally, it is to the Bahamas, where I arranged for a nice private house to be reserved for us and we get to stay for as long as we want. It was an idea that I had for us. Since we can go anywhere, why not go everywhere for our honeymoon? We aren't grounded by the limits of distance."

Cent smiled and leaned in to kiss him again.

"I love you," she said. "Always have and always will. Thank you so much for doing this for me. You are amazing!"

"So are you," John smiled. "Anyway, do you want to check in with the hotel or go check out the city first? Your choice."

"Are you kidding? Lets go check out the city!" she yelled in excitement. "The hotel can wait and so can consummating! I want to explore the city!"

John tightened his grip on her and said, "At your command."

Smiling, Cent kissed her and intertwined their hands together, just as John jumped them to another location in the city.

* * *

The rest of the day for Cent and John was spent doing almost everything they could possible do. They went to eat at the most expensive restaurant in town and also got some ice scream later on for dessert. They even managed to go swimming in the Marmara Sea, right after shopping for the right swimming suits at a mall. They also checked out a few places that are famous, like the Galata Tower, Taksim Square, Dolmabhce Palace, and the Ortakoy Mosque. They also caught a movie at a theater as well.

However, John noticed how late it was getting and that the sun was beginning to set. He had somehow convinced Cent that they should check in at the hotel and make sure that their room isn't taken.

As they jumped outside of the Swissotel The Bosphorus Hotel, they walked through the front lobby and to the front desk.

Once getting their key cards to their suite, they ran to the elevator and made sure they were the only ones on it.

Once the doors had closed, Cent threw herself on John and began to kiss him all over, pressing her body against his. John didn't hesitate to kiss back and held the back of her neck as gently as possible.

After getting off on the floor their suite was on, they managed to find their room with some luck, but had trouble getting the card into the keyhole, which forced them to stop kissing for half a second in order for it to work. But once the door was unlocked, they can roaring into the large luxury suite and fell to the floor as the door closed behind them.

Within seconds, their clothes were being removed and they almost didn't make it to the bed. With some luck, they allowed themselves to crawl under the covers and allowed the full moon to shine down on them from the large windows as they made love for the first time as husband and wife.

When it finally came to an end, John looked into the eyes of his wife and Cent looked into the eyes of her husband, and for the first time in their entire lives, they saw nothing but happiness and love inside them. No regrets. No shame. No pain. And no fear.

Cent rested her head on John's shoulder and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

Hours later, Cent awoke and found that she was sleeping alone on the bed. Leaning up, she looked around and finally saw John standing on the balcony, wearing a robe. Getting out of bed and covering herself up with her own robe, she sneaked up on John from behind, opening and closing the glass slide door as quiet as she could and saw that his eyes were closed. Smiling, she carefully moved her arms around him from behind and kissed the back of his neck.

John smiled as he opened his yes and used his left hand to touch her arm, just loving the feeling of her skin.

"Why aren't you in bed with me?" she ask, half joking.

John smiled and responded, "I just thought I could some fresh air and also to think."

Kissing his neck again, she asked, "About what?"

"About everything that we have been through," he replied. "Even though Travis Shaw is dead and Syndicate is gone from life, I still have trouble believing that all of this is finally over. I never really believed that there was an end until now. And for the first time in my life, I feel excited and happy for my future for us. When I was on the run, it always about how to survive the next day and what will happen the day after that. Always worrying and worrying, not a single bit of excitement. But not it is all different."

"It is different," Cent came around and faced him, touching one side of his cheek. "But that's good. You are getting the life that you deserve. A life with me and with your future unborn children as well."

John smiled and placed his hands on her hips.

"True," he said. "By the way, I was wondering, what names do you have in mind for our first born. When we finally decide to have a child, I mean."

Cent smiled and said, "If we end up having a girl, her name will be Martha Millie Bale. If a boy, his name will be William David Bale. I want to name our children after our parents, in their honor."

A single tear fell from John's eye and he leaned in to kiss his wife again.

"Thank you," he whispered to her.

"For what?" she asked.

"For loving me and giving me a second chance at life," he said. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Cent said with love and happiness, taking both sides of his face into her hands. "Come back to bed with me and please, don't ever let go."

John nodded and said, "I will never let you go Cent. Just promise me that you will never let go too_._"

"Of course I won't!" Cent smiled.

Taking his hand, Cent led him back inside and back to bed, where they made love once again and fell asleep in each other's arms.

And there and then, their new life began.

* * *

**Ten Years Later**

* * *

**Cent:**

* * *

The sun rose in the background over the Caribbean, bringing the sky and the world around the private island and the beach house to life. The waves peacefully made way to shore and washed over the sand. The cool air was being replaced by the fresh morning heat that the sun was beginning to provide. The beautiful blue sky opened the door for another beautiful day.

In the master bedroom of the house, Cent awoke on her stomach as the sun shined across her face. She smiled and opened her eyes, completely refreshed from the peaceful sleep that she had gotten from the night before. She stretched herself, awaking her legs and arms.

"Good morning," said the most beautiful voice in her entire life.

Smiling again, she turned her head to look directly into the eyes of her beautiful husband, John.

"Good morning to you too," she moved her arms around his waist and pressed her body against his.

John used the tips of his fingers to bring her head up and pressed his lips against hers.

Moaning, Cent climbed on top of him and continued to kiss him.

"Happy tenth anniversary!" John announced and kissed her again.

Cents smiled and replied, "Happy tenth anniversary."

Moving his arms around Cent's back and pulling her body against his, he kissed her neck and down to her shoulder.

Cent leaned her head to the side to expose more skin and moaned again, completely enjoying the feel of his lips against her skin.

After their little romantic moment, Cent got up and walked towards the dresser, throwing on one of John's t-shirts and a pair of underwear. John got up as well and threw on a pair of boxers, which Cent enjoyed watching.

Moving towards his wife, he moved his arms around her once more and kissed her.

"How many times have we greeted each other this way?" Cent asked, smiling.

"Not enough," John replied. "I feel like undressing you again."

"Then what is stopping you?" Cent playfully and seductively said.

Raising an eyebrow, John suddenly picked her up and threw her back onto the bed.

Cent screamed with excitement and laughed, moving directly in the middle. of the bed.

John came forward and positioned himself on top her now.

Not able to hold back the urge anymore, she leaned up and kissed him hard, moving her hands all over him.

"As much as I would love to make fast morning love with you," Cent struggled to say as John kissed her neck. "I'm afraid we can't."

"And why is that?" John asked as he kissed her lips.

Suddenly, they heard the noise of running in the beach house, getting closer and closer to their room.

Cent giggled and answered, "That would be why."

John moved off of her and leaned up, fully prepared for the attack that was about to come right through their own door.

Cent leaned up too, taking her husband's arm for support of the new enemy that was coming to ruin their perfect morning.

With a loud burst, the door threw open and two figures came running right towards them, launching themselves into the air.

"HAPPY TENTH ANNIVERSARY!" the two figures yelled as they crashed landed into Cent and John.

Cent and John laughed as they looked into the eyes of their two identical children, who were smiling and giggling at them.

"Wakey, wakey!" the boy on the left cheered. "Today is your anniversary!"

"We wanted to make sure you guys were up to make sure that you don't miss the most important day of your life!" the girl on the right said. "Looks like we succeeded!"

Cent and John laughed at their own two children, just loving how thoughtful and funny they are.

"Why, thank you, Martha and William!" Cent sat up and started to tickle the boy named William. "You have been a big help!"

The girl giggled and got huge eyes as John started tickling her as well.

"Daddy!" the little girl named Martha screamed and laughed at the same time. "Stop it! That tickles!"

They all collapsed at the same time on the bed, taking a breathe and a break.

"Who wants breakfast?!" John announced.

"I do!"

"I do!"

Before they knew it, both Martha and William were off the bed and making a run for the kitchen, eager to get their morning breakfast started.

Smiling, Cent leaned over and kissed John on the cheek.

"Better go make your special breakfast for them," Cent winked and got up off of the bed. "Meanwhile, I'll take a fast shower and then take over for you."

"Thanks babe! You're the best!" John smiled.

Cent blushed and replied, "No, you're the best!"

"Are we going to keep arguing over who is the best?" John asked as he got up and started to put on a t-shirt and some shorts.

"Until the day you admit you are the best," Cent said as she disappeared into the bathroom, undressing again and getting into the sauna.

Turning the knobs to full heat and allowing the hot water to come down hard on her, she began to think about how far her and John have come in their marriage.

Today was the tenth anniversary of their marriage. Ten full years after the greatest day of their lives.

It was exciting and yet, also shocking to Cent that it has already been ten full years now. Just looking back on what has happened since the day of their wedding made her smile and also cry tears of joy.

Like as Cent had planned, she had completed her senior year by homeschooling and also went to the university where Zoe was going at and managed to spend as much time with each other as possible. She completed her four years there and got a career in art, which she now makes good money off of. Some of her paintings are considered a masterpiece and others have paid thousands to have some of her works.

Zoe herself followed her dream to become a writer and also took up scriptwriting for a few movie companies that have taken an interest in her work and also helped bring a couple of movies to the big screen. Since then, she has become a well known author and has created two book series that are praised by teenagers and adults alike. Her latest stand-alone novel hit the "_New York Times #1 Best Seller_" and even got positive reviews from Larry King and James Patterson themselves, who call her a "_success" _in the world of writing. Not only that, she has also married her boyfriend, Jason within two years of dating and she seems to be very happy. Due to Jason's rising popularity as a movie star, they still reside in Los Angeles, and also have a two year old daughter now, with another one on the way.

Cent and Zoe see each other from time to time and allow their children to play with each other. Sometimes they meet at their usual spot at the Starbucks, whenever they don't have their kids with them. But as far as things go, their friendship is still as strong as ever.

As for Ashley, Emily, and Rachel, they married their high school sweethearts and have scattered all over the country. Ashley and Michael now live in Chicago and have a baby boy. Emily and James live in the countryside of North Carolina, where James has become a writer himself and Emily is pregnant with her child. Rachel and Robert live in New York City, where they have created their own hair products company.

Cent sees them on special occasions as well, but not as much as she does with Zoe. They have all agreed to meet back up in Los Angeles and have a small reunion.

Cent's parents still live in the same house in Los Anegles. Millie and David offer to watch the kids whenever her and John wanted to go out for a date or to just have the house to themselves. In fact, they are the only ones that she and John ever visit as much anymore. Since everyone else has moved on and created families of their own.

Life for Cent and John changed a lot for them after they married and had taken the first step into their new life together. They were growing stronger in their love and they kept it alive by doing things together, just enjoying everything that they could possibly do with each other. She could tell that John was starting to take a new look on life and had finally allowed himself to just enjoy it now. It took a few years for him to finally find absolute peace within himself, but somewhere down the line, the nightmares stopped and the pain that existed inside of him was now gone. She could see it inside his eyes and it made her cry tears of joy to see his once broken soul completely healed now. It was a tough road for him and it was challenging for both of them, but like they had once promised to each other, they never once let go of each other and kept their love alive and strong.

After Cent had completed her four years at the university, she and John had decided to start a family together. They both knew that it was time and that they were ready to be parents. Five years was good enough and with school out of the way, they would be able to spend as much time they wanted with their children. But it would come to a surprise to them that Cent wasn't just pregnant with one child, but twins. Millie and David were the ones who got a kick out of it and were very excited to be grandparents. Cent loved being pregnant and she loved feeling her children make kicks inside her stomach. But it was the day that their two children were born that changed everything. For once in Cent's life, she was more happy than she ever had been. Her baby boy had great resemblance to John and the girl had great resemblance to her. A good trade between her and John. They always wanted the child to look like the other and now, they both got what they wanted. Cent had decided to name them after their own parents. She knew how much John missed his parents and felt that he should remember them by calling his children by their first names. She also believed that her parents names should be the middle ones, just to be fair with David and Millie as well.

Cent loved looking into the eyes of her son and seeing the same eyes as John has. Even her daughter makes her want to cry out in joy and just hug them to death. She couldn't wait for their fifth birthday that was coming up within the next four months.

Turning off the water, Cent stepped out of the sauna and dried herself off, she put on her clothes and walked out to the kitchen.

She smiled as she saw William and Martha eating John's famous pancakes and sausage. She loved how cute her children can be and couldn't believe the matters that they also have as well. They know how to say please and thank you, and even use a fork instead of their hands. But like all children, they still knew how to be children, just on a cute level.

Walking up to her husband, who was doing the dishes, she moved her arms around him and forced him to turn around, despite his wet hands.

Titling her head, she put her hand behind his neck and pulled him towards him, pressing her lips against his. Feeling an electric current run right between them.

"EWWW!" both children yelled at the same time, giggling. "Get a room you two!"

Cent and John blurted out laughing as they heard them and winked at them before kissing again.

Cent couldn't help but remember a similar moment that happened ten years ago. One that would set off a chain of events that led directly to this moment now. The one couple that showed her how a marriage and a relationship was done.

During their little romantic moment, a familiar voice came from directly behind the kids.

"They're right!" Millie teased. "Get a room!"

William and Martha turned around and their eyes widened when they saw Millie and David standing directly behind them.

"Grandpa! Grandma!" they both yelled in excitement at the same time, running right towards them.

Millie and David laughed as they picked up their grandchildren and hugged them.

"Are you here to watch us?!" William asked in his cute childish voice.

"You bet ya!" David smiled. "In fact, I think I have a few movies my bag here that we can watch throughout the day and night."

"YAY!" both William and Martha praised. "Can we watch one now?"

David frowned and said, "That is up to your parents."

Turning around and looking directly at Cent and John, who were still in their embrace, they put on their pleading faces.

Rolling her eyes, Cent gave in.

"Fine!"

"Yeah!" both disappeared into the living room, dragging David and his bag of movies with them.

Smiling, Millie walked up to Cent and gave both her and John a hug.

"Have you ever heard of a doorbell?" Cent joked.

"To a Jumper? No." Millie played along with her. "Now, you two run along now, before the little rascals come back and they will never let you leave."

Giggling, Cent pulled John along with her towards the master bedroom.

"Thank you mom!" Cent yelled back.

"No problem!" Millie replied, winking at her. "Just make sure not to destroy the town that you and lover-boy are going to!"

Cent laughed and thought, _You dirty, naughty old woman!_

"I heard that!" Millie yelled back to her before she shut the door to their room.

Throwing her arms around John and pulling him towards her, they kissed and nearly got right to business of tearing each other's clothes off.

"So, where are we going now?" Cent asked.

"To Hawaii," John replied. "And then to Tokyo, and then Moscow, and then England. A nice seven day weekend. I say we deserve it."

"You always know how to impress me," Cent smiled. "We should pack this time."

"True," John winked.

After gathering up only a few pairs of clothes, along with some lingeries that Cent has, and also their toothbrushes, which they put into a small bag.

"Ready?" Cent asked.

John nodded and said, "First, I want to make a small, quick stop somewhere. Just a small stop."

"Alright," Cent replied, although she was a little confused by where they were going first.

Grabbing the bag, Cent moved her arms around John's waist and they jumped.

* * *

Before they knew it, they were standing in the middle of a dark hallway.

Cent raised an eyebrow at John and suddenly realized that they were in a school building. But something about this place seemed familiar to her.

"You do realize that it is summer, right?" Cent teased him. "Okay, seriously, why are we here?"

John winked, smiled, and said, "Does this place seem familiar? Or how about this locker?"

Turning around, Cent suddenly saw what he meant and came to realize that the locker she was looking at was the same locker she had ten years ago, during the eleventh grade.

Realizing where they are, Cent's eyes widened and she turned back around to face John.

"Are we at the old school that you and me used to go to?" she asked.

John nodded and said, "I wanted to bring you here, because this was where it all began. The one place that started it all."

"What do you mean?" Cent was still confused.

"It was right here that I finally interacted with you," he smiled. "Remember when you dropped her book and I picked it up for you?"

Cent nodded.

"Well, this was where our love began. Yes, we fist saw each other in the cafeteria, but it was here that our love actually first started. One little moment changed everything for you and for me as well. When I first met you, I was lost and then you helped me find the way again. Ten years ago, we were strangers to each other. Now, ten years later, we are husband and wife, parents to two amazing kids, and we have created a life that I originally thought I could never live again. But you gave me that second chance and now I am living my life to fullest because of you."

He paused as he moved one hand behind her neck and the other around her back, pulling her towards him.

Cent felt her heart skip a beat, just like the day she first met him and she could feel the tears of joy coming now.

"I love you, Cent!" John said with all of his heart and soul. "I love you so much! I will never let you go! You are my life and I'm so happy of how far we have come. I know we are only twenty-eight years old and that we still have a long life ahead of us, but I know that we will always be by each other. The ten years that I have spent with you and our two adorable children are the best years of my life and I will never regret them."

Cent felt the tears falling down her cheeks now and she could hold back the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him. She shocked him with her attack and he kissed right back, not hesitating to show what he truly feels.

"I love you so much, John!" Cent planted both of her hands on both sides of his head, pressing her forehead against his. "I always will love you and I will never leave you! I will never let go! Not now, not ever!"

John smiled and kissed her again.

Cent couldn't help but feel like an eighteen year old again and smiled as she remembered the old memories of her and John. They have survived so many obstacles in their relationship and their marriage, they have proven their love for each other and never once let go of that. She loved him and he loved her. That was all that mattered.

Without another word, they jumped to Hawaii, where they began to celebrate their tenth anniversary.

And true to their word, and for the rest of their lives, they _never let go_.

* * *

**The End**


	36. Dedication

**Dedication:**

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**This story is dedicated to a very great friend of mine named Marie King.**

**She is the main reason this story exists and is the true inspiration that got it started in the first place.**

**From the very beginning, Marie has provided amazing reviews and support for my story and has helped it become bigger than it originally began.**

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**To Marie King:**

**"I just want to say thank you for everything you have done and thank you for being such an amazing friend, reviewer, writer, and reader. You rock!"**

**- TJ Jordan**


	37. An Author's Message

**An Author's Message:**

* * *

**I would like to take the time to thank other reviewers of my story, ThePenWieldingRose (aka Rose), GeekyZoee, and also Marie King.**

**Thank you guys so much for your amazing reviews and support for this story from beginning to end. **

**I hope you liked this story and that it gave you the romance, action, and a little bit of comedy that you wanted from this. **

**You guys rock and I cannot wait to read more of your amazing stories as well.**

* * *

**To other future reviewers and readers, I would like to thank you for taking your time to read and enjoy my story as the way it is.**

**By the way, check out the top three names up there at the beginning of this message. ****They are amazing writers and also have great stories.**

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**Just because this story is over and that I'm leaving the Jumper series for a little bit, doesn't mean that I'm completely done with the world of Jumper. **

**I'll be back for more stories in this universe, just not for a while.**

**I have other stories that I want to do and I want to get right to them.**

**See you guys around and thank you to all who read this story and/or reviewed it as well.**


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